A Burden Shared
by Fiery Crusader
Summary: Sequel to Bearing the Burden. After a hard fought victory from the Phoenix War, Finn and Flame Princess are happily married. The Fire Kingdom has prospered and relations between other kingdoms are stronger than ever. But what happens when an insidious force threatens the peace? Will it reinforce the couple or will it drive them apart?
1. Pleasant Morning

**Disclaimer**: I do not own Adventure Time.

* * *

The land of Ooo was once again restored at a time of peace. After the end of the Phoenix War and the completion of the Restoration Project, Ooo's famed protector, Finn the Human finally married his one true love Flame Princess. The wedding signified that Finn would relinquish his former responsibilities as Ooo's peacekeeper, but assume his new duties as a full-fledged ruler. It was truly remarkable because it was the first time in Fire Kingdom history to have a human monarch.

The Fire Kingdom has recently endured through economic and social strife. However, with the joint alliance between Princess Bubblegum and Flame Princess, the kingdom has managed to recover miraculously along with the support of other civilizations. As a result, foreign relations between most kingdoms particularly the Fire and Candy Kingdoms were strengthened after the fall of Flame King's Phoenix Brigade.

When Finn and Flame Queen's wedding took place, a lot of people across the land of Ooo participated to celebrate the historical event. Just as Finn expected, the news media diverted all of their attention prior to the wedding. He was met with overwhelming anxiety at first, but then he mustered enough courage with the support of Jake and Simon to finally approach the alter to marry the beautiful fire elemental he longed to be with. The wedding was a huge success and the participants celebrated nonstop from noon all the way to dawn the next day. Overall, it took the couple almost 3 years to establish a life-long commitment until they were both 21 respectively.

At the Fire Kingdom palace, the royal couple was sleeping soundly with their bodies embracing each other. The new Flame King was the first to wake up as he gave an audible yawn. He felt disoriented once again as he looked around the bedroom. As he rubbed his eyes, he noticed there were two crowns placed on the coffee table and then two sets of crimson armor placed beside each other in the closet. His last observation was a small wedding portrait set on top of the dresser to his right.

"Oh, man. Is this for real," Finn asked aloud.

"It's as real as you want it to be," Flame Queen replied moments later and then smooched her husband's lips. "Good morning, my king," she said sweetly.

He shivered at the prospect of being addressed as such and savored the kiss, "Mmm, good morning my queen. So I guess this isn't a dream after all." He said it as a statement more than a question.

FQ contently replied, "Yes, indeed. After everything we've been through, our dreams are finally a reality. You are here beside me as my husband and I am here with you as your wife."

"My wife?" Finn grinned as he leaned closer to graze her lips, "I truly love the sound of that, Flame."

Her heart fluttered as Finn proceeded to kiss her passionately. Both of them were quickly losing control with their emotions until Finn felt like he needed to check the time on his phone at the last second.

"Finn, what's wrong," FQ asked with concern.

"It's almost 10 in the morning?! Aren't the people going to wonder why we're late?"

She dropped her worried expression and giggled, "Silly, don't you remember? We don't have work for 2 weeks because of our honeymoon."

Finn immediately plopped on his back with a huge sigh of relief, "Oh, right. I knew that. I.. uh.. just wanted to make sure we didn't miss breakfast!" He finished clumsily at the last part.

All Flame Queen did was roll her eyes and playfully said, "Liar." Then, she resumed capturing her lover's lips and began deepening the kiss shortly after. With the laws of nature finally casted aside, Finn and FQ were properly able to demonstrate their love and affection for each other at long last.

They broke for air after a few minutes and FQ began nuzzling Finn's neck. Then, Finn started to stroke his wife's red orange hair as the two cuddled in silence.

"So, I'm your 'blazing angel'," FQ asked after a while.

He grinned cheekily, "Yeah, I thought it sounded cool at the time. You just radiate this bright aurora every time you become passionate and cheerful. I've never realized how it makes you look so magnificent until now. Everything about you captivates me from your smile, your laughter, and your character. In fact, it makes me wonder at times if I deserve to have someone like you."

She smiled at first, and then frowned at the last part, "I think the nickname seems fitting when you put it that way. However, as for that last statement, both of us have endured through many obstacles and challenges in life. We didn't give up on each other even when we were apart. Neither of us have taken any shortcuts to make it to where we are today. Don't ever doubt yourself, you worked hard relentlessly throughout the years to become a better hero and more importantly a better person."

"Thanks, Flame. I just sell myself short sometimes. It's ironic really because I used to do all these good deeds mostly for the sake of recognition. But I guess after the first coup, I strived to become someone who would unconditionally do the right thing and disregard my own self interests."

She nodded, "You've done so much, Finn. When I think about it, we both have. The two of us have matured throughout the years. In your case, you became a humbled hero bent on preserving peace. As for me, I learned not to let my emotions influence my rule over the law of the Fire Kingdom. The honesty policy was a sound idea at first, but I never foresaw the long-term consequences it had to offer until it was too late."

"Just like you said, it was a different time and we were both younger back then. I failed to realize the extent of my actions when I manipulated you back at the Ice Kingdom. But, I suppose it all worked out and it's just water under the bridge. There's no use dwelling in the past now that we're here." The couple continued to enjoy each other's company until Finn changed the subject, "So are you hungry, Flame?"

"Eh, not really. We did eat a lot from the banquet Jake and Lady provided yesterday. If I were to eat now, I'll just stare at my food, maybe eat one or two bites, give or take."

He shrugged, "I'm not hungry either, we could always wait a few more hours and settle for brunch, I guess. And since we're on vacation, there's no need to rush for anything."

Finn closed his eyes in relaxation as he continued to stroke his wife's hair absentmindedly. Apparently, it became fascinating for him to feel its unique soft texture that it was quickly becoming a habit. Meanwhile, FQ was purring from the sensation as she lazily drew circles on her husband's bare chest.

The two stayed together like that for a few minutes until the fire elemental decided to break the silence again, "Finn?"

"What is it my queen?" He lifted his head and opened his eyes when she didn't respond after a while. As he met her gaze, he saw that same seductive expression she had back when he left for Wizard City two years ago. His heart skipped and his mind instantly became blank.

"Ready for round 2," she asked in a sultry voice.

All Finn could muster was a strangled response.


	2. Vacation Time

One hour later, Finn and Flame Queen exited their chambers dressed in their royal uniforms. As they walked down one of the corridors, FQ stared after her husband with a mischievous grin until they were greeted by their pastry guardian.

"Good morning your majesties," Cinnamon Bun said. "I trust the two of you are well rested from yesterday?"

Finn smiled with a slight blush, "You could say that. I just feel a little embarrassed that I overslept. I'm so used to staying awake after a long day, but for some reason yesterday was different."

CB laughed, "It was your wedding, Finn! Of course the celebration was going to be over the top! Did you actually think it wasn't going to be a big deal? You're the hero of Ooo and now our king of this proud civilization."

"Oh, alright. What is the status of the kingdom?"

"Maintenance crews have cleaned up the palace grounds and there were no accidents reported. Princess Bubblegum and all the others have returned to their homes safely. The main city itself is bustling with life than never before and the Fiery Crusaders have just completed adding finishing touches to the throne room."

Finn gleamed, "Neat, can we take a look?"

"By your command," CB bowed.

The three walked together for some time until they reached their destination. As they entered from the front doors, 14 crusaders were stationed into a central pathway formation with each half facing the other. At the end of the path, two identical thrones were set beside each other with both of them engraved with the couple's initials respectively.

"At ease, everyone," Finn ordered. The guards complied and one of them named Benjamin approached him.

"Good morning, my liege. The second throne is ready for you as promised."

"Great job, Ben. It looks great. I can't believe this is happening," Finn exclaimed.

Ben chuckled, "Yeah, me neither. One day you're here as a fellow peacekeeper, and then the next day you're here as our leader. (sigh) Where did all that time go? Anyway, would you two like to try them out?"

Finn smiled as he held his wife's hand, "Sure." He motioned her to sit first as she took the seat on the right. Then, he walked towards the other, sat down, and then took his surroundings.

"It's great isn't it," Flame Queen asked with a knowing smile.

The young king could only nod his head as his body adjusted to the seat. He never would have thought he would be governing a civilization in his wildest dreams. Before he knew it, his face started to hurt because he kept on smiling too much. Instead of feeling anxious about taking the new responsibility, he felt thrilled especially given the fact his love would rule beside him.

"This... is truly wonderful," he finally said.

FQ giggled.

"Cinnamon Bun, would you take a picture of us please," Finn asked.

"Why certainly," he replied. Finn pulled out his phone and gave it to the pastry being. After the picture was taken, CB and the FCs gathered around to observe the shot.

"Well, that's one for the archives," Ben said.

"You two look great together like that," CB commented.

Finn and FQ got up from their seats and looked at the photo themselves.

"Perfect, just perfect," FQ nodded in approval.

"The first of many, my queen," Finn said as he wrapped his right arm around her waist and pulled her in. "Thanks everyone."

CB and the guards saluted, "It's all part of the job, your majesty. Is there anything else you need?"

Finn made waved dismissively as he took his phone back, "No, we're good. You and the others are dismissed."

"Very well. Oh, and I almost forgot. I've taken the liberty to train fourteen fire hounds the ability to fly. They are reserved for your FC's so they can travel across the land quickly in a state of emergency. Just call us anytime if you need help."

"Sounds rad, CB. See you guys later!"

* * *

The royal couple strolled throughout the palace. As they walked through one of the corridors, they walked past a row of family portraits that were arranged chronologically starting from the oldest to present. Most of them usually had a photo of a king and queen. The only difference was that some of the families had at least 1-3 children. When they finally reached near the end, Flame Queen noticed her family portrait of her parents and her older brother. She began to show a crestfallen expression the more she looked at it.

Noticing this, Finn placed his right hand on her upper back in comfort, "I'm sorry for the way how things worked out for your family."

She sniffled a little as she wiped her eyes, "I appreciate the support, Finn. I could only wonder at times how things would have been if I lived a different life." Then she faced him, "But all that matters now is moving on."

He firmly held her shoulders and eyed her directly, "Flame, I promise you. I will do everything in my power to make sure you live the rest of your life in happiness..." He took a deep breath for what he was about to say next, "Especially for our own family.. if you wish to raise one someday."

Tears of joy poured from the elemental's face as she embraced him, "You'll be a great father than mine has ever been, Finn. I have faith in you."

"Thanks, Flame," he sincerely replied. "But for now, let's just get accustomed with the current routine we have, if that's ok," he said in earnest.

She smiled, "Of course, I wouldn't have it any other way." Their faces closed in on each other as they shared a brief kiss. Then, they left the area as Finn kept his wife close at his side.

"We'll make our own legacy, Flame. One step at a time," Finn whispered to her as she shivered in excitement.

They walked outside the palace building and began walking on the front courtyard. As they approached closer to the curbside, dozens of reporters were being held back from a line of royal guardsmen.

"King Finn, any comments on managing an adventurer and leader at the same time," one reporter asked.

"What plans do you have for the welfare our people," another asked.

Finn darted his gaze left and right to keep track with the reporters as they quickly asked more questions. He tried to answer and give out a response, but was overwhelmed from the constant chatter and camera flashes. His face started to sweat from the pressure and he hesitated to bring his voice up.

Finally after what seemed like an eternity, the media spaced away from the couple as Cinnamon Bun landed with a fire hound nearby.

"Perhaps Jake 2 could be of service," CB suggested.

"Heh, thanks CB," Finn replied.

"I can answer some questions, everyone," the pasty said as he dismounted. Moments later, the royal couple rode on the giant dog and flew high into the air above the main city.

"Phew, man I gotta work on my people skills if I'm going to run this place," Finn said relieved.

She placed a hand behind him on his shoulder, "Don't worry, you'll get used to it. I'll help you out along the way as we move forward. Remember that."

"Thanks. So, where to Flame?"

"We could check on our friends for a quick visit, starting with the Ice Kingdom."

"Very well, as you wish."


	3. Fire and Ice Converse

Finn relished the feeling as the fiery woman wrapped her arms behind him. Even though he traveled to the Night-O-Sphere to become fireproof, his body still felt the warm heat from the embrace. It didn't bother him nonetheless, but it made him feel happy knowing that his wife was in his presence.

The fiery hound the couple rode on flew at a cruising speed towards the Ice Kingdom. They looked below in several directions as they passed the vast city landscape that was their domain. Cinnamon Bun was right from earlier, the Fire Kingdom was indeed bustling with life. As they flew, the citizens waved and took pictures of them before continuing their daily lives.

"Wow, have you ever seen the kingdom look this way," Finn asked.

"This is the first time in a long time, Finn," FQ replied. "The Fire Kingdom hasn't been this lively for at least 3 generations."

Finn felt flustered from hearing that, "Do I really make that much of a difference?"

FQ chuckled, "Uhh, yeah! Think about it, you have a reputation for being a hero of Ooo and an honored champion among the Fire Kingdom. You helped us win the war effort and more importantly you taught us a new way of life. Because of that, we have earned respect between several foreign relations that we quickly became one of the most successful civilizations in history!"

He blushed, "Aw shoot, it was a team effort, Flame. I can't just take all the credit!"

She giggled, "Perhaps you are right. I love you." She leaned forward closer as she nibbled his left earlobe. Finn shuddered from the feeling and turned his head in the same direction to meet her lips. Although the makeout was brief, Finn found himself battling his instincts as he pulled away and focused his view to the front.

"I love you too. Good thing Jake 2's doing most of the flying, but I need to keep an eye out on the sky just in case," he said breathlessly.

"That's fine by me," she said contently.

He glanced at her and then looked forward. "Only she could make me feel like this," he thought to himself. Moments later, the flying hound was already closing in at Simon's mountain and Finn slowed their descent as they landed inside.

"Hey, good morning King Finn and Flame Queen," Simon greeted as he approached them with Betty.

"Why good morning to you too King Simon and Queen Betty," Finn dramatically replied.

Both pairs laughed with each other from the formalities as they hugged each other.

"Haha, can you believe it? The royal couples of two polar kingdoms are conversing with one another," Simon said as he composed himself.

"And they said it couldn't be done, that it was absurd, and that it was heresy," Finn joked as he pointed upward with his right index finger for emphasis. "Heh, sorry. Watched too many dramatic movies."

Betty showed a mischievous grin as she joined the conversation, "But, what about family feuds?"

Her husband immediately faced her and clasped her hands together with his, "Let's not get too hasty, now my dear heheh."

"So Finn, when do you want to start," FQ asked with a suggestive smile.

The tension in the room became heated regardless of the natural cold climate.

"Oh, Glob," Finn said as he started to sweat. "Hey, Simon! I'm really thirsty. Do you have something to drink?"

"Uh, why yes! Right this way." The two kings made their way to the kitchen in haste but stopped momentarily, "Oh, by the way. Do any of you two want anything?"

Betty shook her head as she suppressed a giggle, "No, we're good."

"Yeah, we don't want anything... yet," FQ said as she crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at Finn.

"Oh, and... uh ok w-we'll be back!" The Fire King gulped as he quickly exited the living room with Simon. "Second day of marriage with the love of my life and I'm already terrified of her," Finn said with an embarrassed chuckle.

The ice monarch looked at him, "I could say the same for mine"

Finn shrugged, "Yeah, I guess when we tried to defy the laws of nature, most of those 'feelings' were probably all pent up throughout the years." Then he did a double take, "Wait a second! You too?!"

Simon placed a right hand on his friend's shoulder, "Finn, Betty and I were practically apart for a thousand years. What do you think?"

He pondered about it and then nodded in realization, "Heh, right. Touché, Simon."

The kings arrived at the kitchen and pulled out two bottles of red cream soda from the fridge.

"A toast, for living the great life," Simon said as he raised his drink.

Finn followed suit and lightly clashed his bottle with his own before drinking. "Good stuff, man. I see you wouldn't have to worry about a lukewarm beverage ever again. So why bother using a fridge?"

"Just so that way they can stay chilled at a consistent temperature. In some instances, the palace would get colder during the night that any beverages left behind would be frozen solid."

"So why not use the crown's powers to fix it?"

"Convenience, Mr. Finn. Convenience," he said as he took a swig.

"Or maybe, you're just too lazy," Finn smirked.

"Or maybe I'm just being practical," Simon replied with a slight smile.

They both laughed until Finn's phone beeped from a text message.

"Everything ok," Simon asked.

"Yeah, it's cool. Jake is just saying hi and that he and his family are going out to the Breakfast Kingdom buffet. A fine place if I say so myself," Finn replied as he texted his brother in acknowledgement. "Well, I should probably get going. FQ and I were just here for a quick visit. Thanks for the drink."

They walked back to the living room where FQ and Betty were still chatting. As if on cue, the wives finished their conversation once they saw their spouses return.

"Hey, you're back," Betty said. "We were about to drag both of you out of there if you guys took longer," she said jokingly.

"Right," Finn nervously rubbed the back of his neck and then turned to FQ, "Ready to go?"

"Yup," she cheerfully replied and then hugged Betty, "I'll talk to you soon."

"Alright, you two have fun and fly safe!"

The glacier couple waved as Finn and FQ departed with Jake 2 into the distant horizon.

* * *

Sometime later, the fiery couple arrived at the tree fort in the Grasslands to change into more casual attire. Finn wore his trademark outfit with a light blue T-shirt and shorts excluding his bear hat, while FQ wore a casual strapless orange dress.

"Don't you have anything else to wear," FQ asked curiously.

Finn chuckled, "I can always alternate with jeans."

She rolled her eyes while smiling, "That doesn't count and you know it!"

"You don't know anything!" Finn retorted dramatically.

"I think I beg to differ," she murmured as she drew her face closer to his. Her eyelids were closed halfway as she fiddled with his shaggy hair with one hand.

Moments later, Finn wrapped his arms around her waist and closed the gap between their lips. Both of them closed their eyes as they enjoyed the sweet sensation. Before anything escalated however, Flame Queen broke from the searing kiss and slowly left her husband's embrace.

"Easy, Finn. We still have the rest of the day," she teased.

He groaned inwardly then shook his head to gain his bearings, "Heh, right. Sorry about that. I don't know what came over me, Flame."

She giggled in response as she saw him blush slightly in embarrassment. "Two whole weeks of nonstop fun," she thought deviantly to herself. "I'm definitely going to enjoy this."


	4. Game Night

In what seemed like a blink in the eye, Finn and Flame Queen's vacation was coming to a close. They have traveled just about everywhere in the land of Ooo, partying and dancing to their hearts' desire. But as the day was coming to an end, the couple returned back to the tree fort exhausted. Their shoes were deliberately left in a jumbled mess next to the door way, while Finn's backpack was tossed near the sofa.

"Well, Flame. I've taken you to all the best romantic places I could think of," Finn said with a tired smile. "We went to the beach, the fair, and all the fancy restaurants our neighboring kingdoms had to offer. Heh, we even went dungeon crawling which was something I didn't expect from you."

Flame Queen giggled, "Finn, I'm very flattered and grateful that you went through such lengths to impress me, but you didn't have to be too formal with the honeymoon! I figured it would have been interesting if we mixed things up a little."

"Good point, but because of this lovely occasion, I just wanted to make sure I went all out just to make sure everything was special for you," Finn reaffirmed. He drank a bottle of water from the fridge and walked back to the living room. "Besides," he continued. "I am officially out of ideas anyway... That's all I got," he chuckled as he plucked his pants pockets inside out

His fiery wife was not amused as she placed both of her hands on her hips.

Finn couldn't help but laugh at her shocked expression, "Ideas, Flame. Not what you were you implying."

"I didn't say anything, humph," she huffed as she turned her back on him dramatically.

Finn regained his composure, walked up behind, and then wrapped his arms around her stomach. "I'm sorry babe. I didn't mean that," he whispered to her. "No amount of fortune nor any material in all of Ooo or the universe would ever equate to such a radical dame like you," he said as he planted light kisses on the left side of her neck.

Flame Queen was resisting at first by turning her face away from his, but it exposed her neck even more. It was futile however because she knew she couldn't maintain her demeanor as she eventually relaxed in his grip, releasing a contented sigh. One thing Finn discovered about her recently was that she thrived on touch just as much as her emotions. Since then, he has been using it to his advantage during their private time together.

"Will you please forgive me, Flame," he asked sincerely as he continued to kiss her neck and jawline.

Her heart was beating so fast she could have sworn she felt it pounding against her chest. Then, she finally relented as she turned around to meet his lips with hers. After a few moments, they parted for air. "Yeah, ok," FQ said breathlessly.

Finn smiled in satisfaction as they held each other close, "We still have at least two days left until we rule a kingdom. Do you have anything in mind?"

She looked around as she brainstormed for ideas, "You know what? I've got nothin' too!"

Finn released her and laughed, "See?! I told you, Flame! I told you!"

"Oh, shut up," FQ laughed as she punched his left arm playfully.

"Again with the arm slugging, jeez," Finn chuckled as he rubbed his arm again.

"I can fix it by making the other one feeling the same," she said as she raised her fist with a silly grin.

He raised his hands defensively, "Nope, that won't be necessary. I'll be alright."

She shook her head, "Man, you sure are soft for someone who tolerates pain on a daily basis."

Finn felt flustered from hearing that, "What?! It's different when it's just between the two of us, you know that!" He continued to blush in embarrassment as he watched her giggle. "Wait a second, we still haven't thought of anything yet!"

"Well think of something!"

"I'm trying, Flame! Hold on a minute... I got it. We could play some video games," he nodded to himself in finality.

She sighed, "Video games? Really?! Have we truly become this desperate? It just feels so repetitive now."

He shrugged nonchalantly, "You get to choose the game or better yet we could do something else. The choice is yours either way, my lady."

FQ nodded, "Alright, I'll pick the game while you set up the controllers."

* * *

A couple hours later, Finn and his wife were shifting restlessly as they played a two-dimensional fighting game. Their fingers ached as they constantly mashed buttons frantically in an attempt to get their characters to perform a special melee combo on each other. Since they were keen on just playing for the sake of entertainment, neither of them bothered to pause the game and look up the moves list. That didn't mean they were not competitive, however as FQ began to grunt in frustration.

"Player 2 wins," the screen announced.

The elemental shook her head in an effort to remain calm from another loss that night.

"Uh, Flame? You do know that it's just a game, right," Finn asked with a nervous chuckle.

"I know, I know," she reassured hastily. Her face expression was mixed with determination, frustration, and mostly obsession with the intent to win.

The final duel was becoming a close match as both of their fighters lost their health evenly. In less than a minute, both threw aside their defensive techniques and attacked recklessly with a flurry of punches until they were reduced to an inch left of life.

Finn moved his fighter all the way towards the right side of the screen, "Okay, I'll do you a favor. I'm going to leap towards you head on with a full frontal kick. And all you have to do is time it right by simply hitting the counter button. Are you ready?"

FQ nodded as she gripped her controller firmly.

"Alright, here it goes! It's all you FQ," Finn cheered for her as his character jumped forward and sprung his right foot out from a mid air somersault.

The fire elemental was tense as she waited for the right moment to counter. Everything felt like it happened in slow motion as her opponent was flying closer. Finn was holding his breath during the intense moment until...

"KO! Player 2 wins," the screen announced once again.

Finn lowered his head as he laughed with a mix of pity and disappointment. Flame Queen on the other hand was shocked from the outcome that she remained speechless.

"I think we should call it a night, Flame. Good game. Although, I was really hoping for you to win and make a spectacular comeback or something. That last moment felt a bit anti-climactic in my taste," he chuckled at the last part.

The elemental's features expressed utter shock as she remained frozen at the screen. Suddenly, her face slowly shifted into a shrewd expression. "This is... **your** fault," she sneered as she pointed at him accusingly.

"**My** fault?!" Finn placed his right hand on his chest, taken aghast. "What do you mean? I told you the truth about my next move, I gave you the best controller, and everything," he waved both his arms.

A few moments passed until FQ nodded sharply in acceptance, "Yeah, you're right. Sorry for going off about that. I had fun. Let's call it a night."

Finn was caught off guard from her sudden demeanor as she left for the bathroom. One moment he thought she was about to go on a raging tantrum, and then the next moment she walked away with a cheery smile. It baffled him as he rolled the game controllers back to the console and switched the tv off.

After cleaning up the living room, Finn made his way to the bedroom. He noticed the bathroom was now empty at this point and that his fiery wife was nowhere to be seen. "She probably must have gone straight to bed," he thought to himself. Then, he gave out an audible yawn as he looked at his phone and approached the doorway. "It's already midnight? (sigh) Better sleep too while I still can."

He only took a few steps inside the darkened room until suddenly the lights flashed on. As he shielded his eyes from being blinded temporarily, Flame Queen smacked him with a pillow saying, "I. Still. Lost!"

Finn raised his arms defensively as he laughed at the notion, "It was just a game! Just get over it!"

"No," she laughed as she continued her pillow fight.

The blonde hero recovered from his disorientation as he quickly snatched another pillow to fight back. Feathers flew in the air as their pillows thudded onto each other's bodies.

"Easy, not in the face Flame!"

"Sorry!"

Eventually, the two of them moved closer to the bed. Once FQ was close enough, Finn took the chance to disarm her and tackled her to the mattress. Then he started to tickle her senselessly until she yielded.

"No more, I give," FQ said in between giggles.

Finn complied as he rolled over to her right side. Both of them were panting as they rested from their playful quarrel.

"Well, so much for sleep," Finn sighed. "It's 12:50. Are you happy now," he asked sarcastically.

"Yup, I feel better," she nodded in satisfaction.

He shook his head as he let out a yawn, "Did you have a great time?"

"I did, my love. Thank you," she nuzzled his neck.

He smiled warmly, "No problem, Flame. All done with tender and joy. Love you."

"Love you too. Sweet dreams."

They kissed each other goodnight before going into another blissful sleep.


	5. Sinister Plotting

Two months later, the new king of the Fire Kingdom was meticulously reading and signing paperwork regarding construction projects, business deals, and negotiations. He expected that handling these newfound duties was mundane compared to his former lifestyle as an adventurer, however, it was not for a lost cause. His main reason to govern was to alleviate the burden his wife had to endure from all those years ago.

Then one day, Finn and Flame Queen were finishing up on another hearing from their people. It took some time for the blonde adventurer, but after a few weeks he was accustomed to sitting for lengthy periods of time. He exercised compassion and patience for his loyal subjects, and they showed their appreciation by sometimes offering gifts. Finn was flattered from such, and only accepted them due to their insistence.

The royal couple sat up from their thrones as the last citizens exited from the last hearing for today. The Fire King made a butterfly stretch as he brought his arms up straight then slowly lowered them to his sides. "Man, that was exhausting," Finn yawned.

"You said it," Flame Queen concurred.

"Don't get me wrong, I care about the welfare of our people. It's just that we have so many of them to look after." He paused for a moment then bowed his head solemnly upon realization, "All those years when I didn't visit, you were here facing this alone. I feel terrible now that I think about it."

She placed her right hand on his left shoulder, "Hey, now. Don't beat yourself over it. You're here with me and that's all I care about."

He shook his head and perked up, "Right, guess I looked back on it too much for a second there. Anyway, shall we continue business matters over dinner?"

FQ smiled, "Sounds great. I heard that tonight's special was going to be barbecued ribs with potatoes and cornbread."

His stomach rumbled, "Heh, I'm hungry already just by hearing that. There's just something about the cornbread and barbecue sauce that makes me drawn to it."

"The fact that they are both homemade from scratch," FQ answered for him.

He nodded, "Yeah that must be it." Then, he checked his phone, "Well, I'll see you later my queen. I'm just going to check on a few things real quick and then I'll meet you at the royal dining room."

"Don't be late," she teased. "I'd hate it if you missed out, especially dessert," she purred while giving him a saucy wink.

A slight blush creased his face, "Of course, I won't be long I promise." He kissed her hand as he left.

* * *

Finn was walking down one of the corridors of the Fire Kingdom palace until he encountered one of his friends, "Hi Cinnamon Bun, how are you doing?"

The pastry guardian bowed, "I am well, sire. Are you getting ready for tonight's dinner?"

"Yes, but first I would like to check on any upcoming events. I'm not trying to be neglectful or anything it's just that-"

CB waved his hand, "Please, no need to explain. I understand being a ruler involves handling numerous duties that it leaves your mind preoccupied. That's why it's my job as your humble adviser to help remind you of any important dates and deadlines."

"Thanks, CB."

"Don't mention it. I've done this with Flame Queen before when it was just her at the time, and now I'm helping you." The guardian pulled out his notepad, "Let's see here, we have a ballroom charity event scheduled here tomorrow at 7pm, Marceline's music concert is set 2 weeks from today, and lastly we have you and FQ's birthday approaching in 3 months."

Finn became tense from the last bit of news, "Whoa, 3 months already? I need to get her something nice before it's too late!"

"You have plenty of time to get her a gift," CB assured. "Besides, don't you realize your birthday is being celebrated the same day as hers?"

"It is?! (sigh) Alright, if FQ asks, just tell her I don't want anything."

CB chuckled as he wrote on his notepad, "You got it, Finn. Dinner's about a half hour from now so I suggest you get washed up beforehand."

"You're right, I better get going. Thanks CB," Finn waved as he walked to his chambers.

* * *

Far away from the Fire Kingdom was a house filled with a variety of magical options and spells. Its owner was busy pouring several colored bottles into a cauldron until someone knocked on the door audibly.

"Crabbit, answer the door. I'm busy," Maja the Sky Witch ordered.

Her assistant opened the door moments later and a tall, muscular person stepped forth.

"Right this way," Crabbit motioned.

The visitor boldly walked towards Maja as she was mixing the magical broth with a wooden spoon.

"Ah, greetings! I've been expecting you," the witch said after giving a quick glance. She returned her gaze back to the cauldron as she continued, "I've got a job that you might be interested in. You see, my plan is to harness the energy from the Candy Kingdom and run it to the ground. However, I cannot do it alone. Princess Bubblegum has many friends and allies protecting her that will hinder my plans."

The figure stood undeterred with a hardened gaze.

Maja continued, "You will be paid most handsomely for your services. And knowing your skills and expertise, I trust this will be simple for you."

He seemed disinterested and was already starting to turn back.

"I figured you could care less, but one person in particular who must be taken down is a human who goes by the name Finn."

The figure stopped abruptly and turned back to face Maja.

"Surprised by this," the witch grinned as she asked. She conjured a news magazine which showed a picture of Finn in his kingly attire. "It's a win-win situation if anything. You get to settle an old score once and for all, while I get to fulfill my quest for power."

The figure clenched his fists upon observing the cover and tensed himself.

Maja raised her right hand, "Patience, you will have your chance. You want blood for what he has done to you and for this I understand. However, because he is a high profile target, we will need to take him out discreetly."

He crossed his arms in response.

She continued, "The thing is, if we kill him directly out in the open, we will have every kingdom behind our backs until the day we die. Therefore, we must make it seem like he died heroically with no murderer to blame." She conjured a flyer with Marceline's photo, "There will be a music concert 2 weeks from now that I know our precious king is bound to attend. Once it reaches that day, that's when we will make our move. I've already got something **big** planned for all of our 'friends', so all we must do now is wait. Are you with me?"

He nodded firmly and shook hands with her.

Maja smiled, "I'm glad we have an understanding. I'll contact you later and inform you more with the details as the deadline approaches. See you soon!"

As the visitor left, Crabbit approached her, "Do you think he'll be able to help?"

"Of course, you fool! Why else would I call him in the first place?!" The witch zapped her assistant furiously. "Knowing him, he could care less about the welfare of this pitiful world. He does his part and I will do mine. Simple as that. Besides, if he fails, then he will at least buy me enough time to fulfill my agenda."

"Why do you care so much about taking down the Candy Kingdom anyway? What exactly do you have against them," Crabbit asked as he slowly recovered from his pain.

"I want power, my dim-witted assistant. I hold no personal grudges against Bubblegum, but I know she is the most influential ruler in all of the land. I take her down, the other insignificant kingdoms will fall one by one like dominoes. Now leave! I've told you enough already. You have exactly ten seconds to get off the floor and out of my sight. One... TEN!"

All that was heard next was zapping, screaming, and sadistic laughter.


	6. Old Enemies, New Threat

Somewhere in the Bad Lands away from the Breakfast and Slime Kingdoms was the Desert of Wonder. It used to be a metropolis with sprawling buildings and busy streets before the Mushroom War, but it is now nothing more than a barren region. The only traces that remained from the destructive conflict were scraps of military vehicles along with a severed highway bridge. Everything else around the area was either sand or large rock columns.

The weather conditions were always brutal. Daily temperatures during the day were usually around 90 degrees Fahrenheit and 70 degrees during the night. Any wanderer who was poorly equipped prior to traveling the region typically survived about a day and half. Water and transportation were always the most important essentials to have and only the most experienced travelers dared to trek across the forsaken land. Overall, many tourists in Ooo were discouraged to visit, which left the area undisturbed as it should be.

Suddenly, a collective sound of monstrous groans echoed across the desert. Many years ago, these creatures took residence in a large crater deep within the former city. It wasn't until recently that they were awakened from their slumber when 4 explorers gathered samples from the dwellers' home as a means to colonize. The expedition failed however, and as a result one person was sacrificed from the group and became zombified from the inhabitants known as the Goo monsters.

Time has passed for the unfortunate victim. Each day, he spent the rest of his undead life with his zombie cohorts finding his way back to the Candy Kingdom. The scorching weather meant nothing to them as they wandered aimlessly. Traces of memories passed through his brain as he trudged through the sandy dunes. He may not have remembered much of his past like he used to, but he certainly remembered the one who was responsible for his demise.

"It seems like you and I have a common enemy," a feminine voice said out of nowhere.

The zombified pastry being looked around in confusion only to discover the voice was coming from his head telepathically.

"You were betrayed and left for dead from who you thought were your friends. I can help you, James. Just swear your loyalty to me and I will show you the way to exact your revenge," Maja said.

"Yesss," James complied.

Maja smiled, "Good, very good. I will give you the tools necessary to make you stronger and provide you new troops to command."

A surge of energy enveloped James and his group for a few moments. The end result surprisingly was nothing, except for one difference.

"I have given you and your armies special abilities," the witch said. "Use them by all means and do with the Candy Kingdom as you see fit."

Seconds later, large masses of Goo monsters emerged from the ground surrounding the original group.

Maja chuckled darkly, "The kingdom you seek is south from your current location. Whatever you do just keep moving in the same direction, lest you will be lost forever. Go now, your vengeance awaits."

The monstrous army marched together as James lead the way.

* * *

"Finn, hurry up! Marcy's concert will start soon," Flame Queen said.

The fire king was stumbling as he tried to put his last shoe on, "Okay, I'm on it!" After forcing his foot inside the sole, he shook his head, "Heh, I'm always in a rush every time there's a big event. It's a good thing we're dressing casual though. I think I'll take forever putting on my armor."

"You are ashamed of your royal status," FQ asked whimsically with an arched eyebrow.

"No," Finn chuckled. "It's just that I don't want to steal Marcy's spotlight and be the center of attention."

She thought mischievously for a moment until she said, "Hmm, you know what? I think you're just making excuses."

He did a double take, "Say what, Flame?! This **is** Marceline's concert, her moment, and her performance!" Then he composed himself, "Besides, as the king, **I** get to choose whatever I want to wear."

The elemental rolled her eyes as she watched him nod and smirk to himself, "Whatever, Finn. I'm tired of your moping."

"Moping?! I'm not moping! Maybe **you're** the one-"

FQ interrupted, "Are you ready yet?"

Finn grunted with exaggeration as he shook his head, "Yes, I'm ready! Let's go."

"Easy Finn, there's no need to rush," she smiled innocently.

He showed a shocked expression, "Wha- but you just... (sigh) Oh forget it."

His wife giggled in response.

The two left their chambers and made their way outside the fire palace where Cinnamon Bun prepped Jake 2 for takeoff.

"Are both of you all set," CB asked.

Finn patted his pockets, "Let's see I got my phone, wallet, keys, wife. Yup, we're good!"

The pastry guardian snickered from the last part, while FQ looked down embarrassed.

"You sure you don't want to come too," Finn asked.

CB waved his hand, "Yeah, I'll be fine. Someone has to keep watch of this kingdom while you're both away anyway. I've done this before, so it's not really that much of a big deal."

"We appreciate that," Flame Queen said sincerely.

"No problem, your highness. Besides, I can always watch the concert on tv." Then he faced Finn, "Would you need me to send for your FCs as your escort?"

He thought for a moment until he said, "Nah, I'm sure we'll be ok. It's just for one night and the Candy Kingdom's practically right around the corner, heheh."

CB nodded, "Fair enough, but remember, your team is just a phone call away."

"Understood, we'll see you soon!"

* * *

As they flew off into the air, Flame Queen started the conversation, "Isn't this great, the two of us going together at a music concert?"

Finn hummed in agreement, "Yeah, it's always great with you around. Are you ready to rock?"

"You know it!"

"It was very nice of Marcy to offer us free backstage tickets. At least we don't have to deal with long lines or anything of that such. You don't think she did that because of our status right," he asked jokingly.

FQ laughed, "Silly, she would have given us free tickets anyway because we're her friends! Or did you forget that?"

Finn chuckled, "No, I'm just checking."

They waved at the Gumball guardians stationed outside the Candy Kingdom as they entered the city limits.

"There it is, the stadium," Finn said.

He and his wife observed the large masses crowding the building.

"There's no way we'll be able to make it if we never flew," FQ said.

"No kidding! Flying flame hound for the win! Good boy, Jake 2," Finn said as he scratched behind one of the canine's ears.

Sometime later, the couple met up behind the stage with Marceline, Princess Bubblegum, Simon, and Betty.

"Hey, you guys made it," the vampire queen said as she hugged them.

"Wouldn't want to miss this for a friend," Finn said sincerely.

After everyone greeted each other, the candy monarch spaced away for privacy and radioed security, "Status report."

"Outer city walls clear," one guard said.

"Inner city walls clear," said another.

"The stadium seems to be in order, over," Root Beer Guy said.

PB nodded in approval, "Very well, let's get this show on the road!"


	7. Concert Gone Wild

"People of Ooo, are you ready to party," Marceline shouted.

"Yeah," the crowd yelled.

"I can't hear you. I said, are you ready to party?!"

"YEEEAH!"

The vampire musician nodded in satisfaction. Then she looked at her friends to the side of stage as they gave her looks of encouragement. Lastly, her gaze shifted to her band members as they eagerly waited on her signal.

"Ok, it's just another music concert. You've done this before. Breathe in, breathe out," Marceline thought to herself. After a quick moment of preparation, she raised her ax bass and strummed the first note to start off the event. The first song she started with was called "Barracuda" by Heart. She figured that playing a few classic rock songs before the Mushroom War would be a neat way to get the crowd thrilled.

Thousands of people attended the music concert. As they watched and listened, some started to cheer, while others bobbed their heads to the rhythm. The crowd went nuts as some of them pumped their fists in the air while others raised cardboard posters of Marceline's name. The big event overall was broadcasted live with millions of viewers across the land of Ooo watching.

Tons of camera flashes went off as the first song ended, followed by a loud round of cheering. After a few moments, Marceline started with another Pre-war classic called "Paradise City" by a band called Guns N Roses. It was one of her favorite songs because it was fast-paced and it especially had an awesome guitar solo near the end. The essence of the music was energetic and many people thrashed their heads uncontrollably to the beat.

The fireworks to the stage went off as the second song ended. Marceline and her band waved to the crowd as they took a brief moment to catch their breath. Before she knew it, she and her company were becoming exhausted. The vampire looked over to her band and made a silent agreement they would play something a little slower to conserve their energy.

As the cheering subsided, the band played "White Wedding" by Billy Idol. It was moderately fast, but not to the point where they would exert their hands. Marcy casually strummed her ax bass as she let the rhythm of the music flow through her mind and body.

"Alright, we still got more up ahead, but first we'll take a quick break. We'll be right back," Marcy announced breathlessly.

Most of the audience shifted in different directions as they headed for the restrooms and concession stands. As for the rest, they either stayed in their seats and looked at their phones or chatted with one another.

At the backstage, the vampire queen drank a bottle of water as she met with her friends.

"Wow, that was great Marcy. You sure know how to rock," Finn commented.

"Excellent performance as always," Bubblegum complimented.

"We're proud of you, Marceline," Simon said as he held Betty close to his side.

The bass player struggled with her emotions as a single tear ran down her cheek, "Thanks, it really means a lot to me."

"We're your friends, it's what we do," Flame Queen said.

The vampire smiled in response and regained her composure, "Ok, I don't wanna get too emotional now. I've got a concert to finish!"

Finn nodded, "Right, don't want to keep the fans waiting heheh."

As if on cue, the crowd was heard with screaming and shouting.

Marceline frowned, "Something doesn't sound right..." She walked back on stage with her ax bass. What she saw was disturbing and she paled in horror.

"Uh, everything alright? What's going on," Finn asked concerned. He and the others approached the stage to investigate. Slowly but surely, the group's expression went from curiosity to terror. The crowd was rapidly dispersing in all directions as they were being attacked by a once forgotten enemy known as the goo monsters.

"They found us," PB said in a low voice. Then, a thought occurred to her, "How did they get past security?!" Then her communicator went off in her pocket and she answered urgently.

"Bubblegum, this is Root Beer Guy. We're under attack! We've received several reports about numerous counts of cannibalism and the Gumball guardians are **offline**!"

"WHAT?! That's impossible!" The candy monarch calmed herself momentarily and asked, "Okay, what about emergency services?"

"All law enforcement and military units are actively responding according to protocol, over."

"Get as many people out of the city as you can. Once we're clear, I want the entire kingdom quarantined. We CANNOT let those monsters run loose anywhere else, do you understand me?!"

"Understood, ma'am. Root Beer Guy out."

As Bubblegum placed her communicator away, she faced the group, "We need to get out of here as soon as we can!"

Seconds after she said that, a small group of zombified pastries looked in the gang's direction and clambered over the seats to reach them.

"RUN!" PB screamed.

* * *

Meanwhile, Maja was hovering high in the sky with Scorcher as she watched the main city of the Candy Kingdom being overrun with her minions. She chuckled darkly, amused from the chaos and disorder that she successfully orchestrated.

"Look at those fools, scattering away like insects," the witch laughed.

Scorcher arched himself forward, intending to spring into action.

She saw this and held up her hand, "Patience, wait for the confusion to spread just a bit more. Soon your adversary will be left vulnerable and you will have your chance. Besides, I have eyes on him to make sure he doesn't escape this city."

He eased himself reluctantly and narrowed his eyes.

"Just sit back and enjoy the show for now. Popcorn?"

Scorcher looked at her with an arched eyebrow and refused.

Maja shrugged, "Suit yourself, more for me then!"

* * *

The stadium was quickly vacated as the civilians trampled over each other. Those who lost their footing and fell were quickly picked off from the zombie horde. In seconds, the riot guards stationed nearby began to throw tear gas and raised their shields and batons. They had no idea the goo monsters were responsible for the massive panic and mistakenly halted some of the bystanders as a result.

Eventually, the guards broke into disarray as civilians and zombies alike overwhelmed them with sheer force. One guard was tackled on his back and watched in horror as the goo monster used its acidic substance to melt the transparent shield and devoured him seconds later.

"All civilians, please remain calm," a guard instructed through a megaphone. Once he took a closer look at the crowd, his expression dropped into fear, "Ah, forget this!" He dropped his megaphone and started running away and never looked back.

With each passing moment, the unholy horde grew more with strength and numbers. Nothing was stopping them and the heroes were nowhere to be seen. The infection was spreading at an astonishing rate and hundreds of people were already reported dead or missing. The worst part, the people who watched the broadcast prior to the commercial break simply assumed the concert event had technical difficulties. They would wait at least 15 minutes before they could possibly become suspicious and send help.

And so, the sugary kingdom was faced with a third zombie apocalypse in history.


	8. A Harrowing Night

The main streets of the Candy Kingdom were clustered with terrified citizens. Within minutes, several explosions went off and pillars of smoke billowed across the horizon. All of the evacuation routes were crowded as people fled from the zombies. As a result, some rushed over to the rooftops while others locked themselves in isolation.

As the chaos progressed, some of the crooks and low lives took advantage of the situation and looted as many goods as they could possibly carry. Liquor stores were ransacked, supermarkets were raided, and even tenements were robbed. With law enforcement spread thin, there was no one left to maintain order. All that mattered to everyone was their own survival. In short, the goo monsters made the city a playground for all the lawbreakers and psychopaths.

A fleet of helicopters flew high above the towering buildings to quell the riot. The pilots and passengers watched idly as they saw the atrocities the goo monsters were committing. They gripped their weapons tightly and straightened their collars. The only sounds that were heard were the rotor blades spinning and the shallow breathing from the passengers. No words were said, everyone knew that once they touched down it was time to go to war. The only exception however, was that their war was going to be fought on their own soil, against their former friends and family.

"This is Foxtrot Two, we'll be approaching the drop zone ETA thirty seconds," the leading pilot said.

"Roger that, maintaining formation," a wingman responded.

The troops inside tensed their shoulders as they approached their destination. Despite the brief wait, time slowed for them as they contemplated in their own thoughts. What was waiting for them? How will everything work out? Will the mission go smoothly?

Their thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the pilots started to hover over the drop zone. A green light was lit inside each chopper that signaled the troops to deploy. Then, two ropes were casted from both sides of the aircrafts. "All units, rock and roll!," a squad member ordered. One by one, each soldier slid down the ropes onto the rooftop buildings at the downtown district.

The task force consisted of 25 men as they assembled into a huddle. "Listen up, this is a search and rescue operation. There are dozens of civvies down there that will not be able to make it out on their own without our help. Gather as many of them as you can and engage the enemy only if you have no other choice," the leader ordered.

"Yes sir," the men complied.

"I need one group of five stationed here to provide overwatch and secure the evac site. The other 4, I need one half to move east and the other to move west. We're on a tight schedule here so let's move out!"

* * *

Down at the streets, the goo monsters devoured everyone on sight. They didn't discriminate as they chased after the young and old as well as the rich and poor. With fear impeding their judgement, some people became unfortunate victims as they cornered themselves in alleyways and cramped spaces. The only thing they could do from that moment was pray for a swift death, only to be met with an agonizing one as their flesh was being mauled away.

As the last remnants of bystanders cleared a particular intersection, a large convoy of trucks and civic cruisers drove past them with sirens blaring. Red and blue lights lit the walls of the surrounding buildings as they assembled into a blockade. Once the ground vehicles screeched to a halt, local authorities and tactical groups quickly assembled into defensive positions. Given the circumstances, all of them were armed specifically with ranged weapons. Some had explosive crossbows while the others were armed with automatic crossbows.

"Command, all units are awaiting orders over," an officer radioed.

"Copy that, you are clear to engage."

The officer nodded and looked overhead. He saw the undead mob shuffling their way towards his men from the gloomy distance. Not wasting anytime, the leader motioned his team to open fire.

A volley of arrows met their target as the firefight commenced. The monsters flinched and jerked in response as they were being harmed. They were generally shot in the upper torso of the body such as the chest and stomach. Some collapsed on the ground eventually as they withstood too much incoming fire, only to slowly get up and continue advancing.

Dozens of limbs flew high into the air as the zombies were picked off with explosives. They suffered casualties, but the outcome remained the same. More reinforcements gathered at the blockade in overwhelming numbers. Worse, the zombies who were blown in half continued to crawl with their arms. The counter attack was quickly becoming a losing battle.

The flashing lights and blaring sirens continued to attract more enemies as the guards made their stand. Despite the undead approaching within closing distance, the men stood their ground, hoping to push them back at the last moment. Sadly, this wasn't the case as the monsters lunged at them and tackled their victims to the ground.

"D-don't give up," an officer ordered. Despite trying to remain calm, his hands trembled and his eyes widened in horror. Then he looked down at his left ankle to discover a zombie was clutching it and began chewing it. The officer shrieked as he tried to wiggle himself free, only to be bit simultaneously at his neck from another monster. In seconds, the victim fell on his back lifelessly and the sound of munching followed afterward.

The rest of the authorities soon met similar fates as they tried to shove away the undead.

Meanwhile, the task force that deployed from the rooftops cautiously made their way down to ground level. Two groups were sent to the nearby office buildings while the other two searched the residential homes. While the local guards were engaging in a live firefight, the rescue teams were met with no signs of life or undead life for that matter. A nerve-wracking silence enveloped the area as the men darted their eyes for anything suspicious.

Suddenly, a nearby wooden fence collapsed as hundreds of undead poured through moments later. The teams investigating the neighborhood began to shoot their crossbows in response, but nothing was working.

"I could have sworn this place was clear just a second ago," shouted a soldier.

"Doesn't matter, take them down," ordered another.

"There's too many of them! I'm out!" One trooper deserted from his squad and tried to make a break for one of the nearby houses. He sprinted with his shoulders forward and his crossbow tucked as he shoved past the surrounding mob. As he approached the doorway, one monster leaped from behind and tackled him to the ground. Before the soldier had a chance to recover, he was bit on the neck. He cried and screamed in agony as more zombies joined the pile and chewed on the rest of his body.

In a last ditch effort, the remaining troops assembled into a circle formation with their backs facing each other. Slowly but surely, the crowd of goo monsters closed in until the fighting stopped altogether.

The other two rescue teams on the other hand were running and shooting in the cubicles of a complex building. The lights flickered off seconds ago and a rush of zombies forced them into one of the narrow hallways.

"Get to the elevator, it's our only chance," ordered a trooper.

The group sprinted towards the closest one within reach and briskly slapped the button to call it.

"Sir, we've got a problem. The lift's about 20 floors away from here," yelled one member.

The squad leader grunted in frustration, "We don't have that much time. Find the stairs to roof!"

Everyone darted their eyes frantically to search for the said area and discovered it was on the other side from their location.

"I-I'm afraid that's not gonna happen," one said nervously.

As if on cue, the pursing undead blocked their next escape route and deliberately slowed themselves for the kill.

"These guys are messing with us!"

"Keep it together!"

The zombies leered at them hungrily as they watched their prey show expressions of anxiety and desperation.

"Just 10 more seconds," one member said as he pressed the lift button repeatedly. To everyone's relief, the elevator dinged and the group quickly back-peddled inside. The zombies dashed towards them at the last second but were too late and growled in disappointment.

"That was close, so much for rescuin'. We need to get out of here."

The squad leader looked at his subordinate and reluctantly agreed, "For now, at least. We'll need more help before we can go out there again."

A ding was heard as the elevator arrived at the rooftop. The group held their breath as the doors slowly parted open. Unfortunately, what they encountered on the other side were more zombies who recently turned from the outbreak.

"Close the doors!," the squad leader shouted.

"The lift's not responding! I-I'm sorry sir," a member cried.

"No! It can't end like this. We've made it so far it can't be! Argh, get off me- Ahhhh!"

* * *

One hour ago, the city was loud with chaos: men were barking orders, weapons were being discharged, and bystanders were screaming their lungs out. But now, all that was heard were the collective groans the undead uttered. The response teams were defeated as their corpses lied on the streets in pools of blood. Zombies moved around aimlessly at this point and shuffled towards anything that was either loud or bright.

A former victim sat next to one of the civic cruisers as he ate his meal. Suddenly, his concentration was interrupted when the radio inside the vehicle began to emit static.

"This is Root Beer Guy, reporting as dispatch. Does anyone read, over?"

The zombie, James tried to ignore it at first by continuing to eat a severed arm, only to be drawn closer into the transmission. He staggered towards the electronic device and raised a shaky hand. Once he grasped the responder, he looked at it curiously and flinched in surprise when the transmission went off again.

"This is Root Beer Guy calling any units in the downtown district. Does anybody read?"

After James recomposed himself, his eyes found the talk button on the device and responded in a raspy voice, "S-send... More.. Cops!"

"Affirmative, sending reinforcements at your location. Hang in there!"

The zombified pastry smiled grotesquely to himself and continued to feast on the severed arm in peace.


	9. Recollections

Finn and his friends have been running through the maintenance tunnels ever since the outbreak started. Although the majority of the bystanders used the main exits, some of them fled with the heroes and relied on their protection.

"The parking garage's this way!" Finn motioned.

Everyone followed his lead as they ran into a full sprint. Adrenaline coursed through their veins and sweat covered their bodies. Once they got to the exit, Finn kicked the door open and halted his company from proceeding.

"Dang it, find another exit," Finn ordered.

"There's a storage room we could use for shelter," Princess Bubblegum suggested, "Just follow me!"

Without hesitation, the group of survivors followed the candy monarch. Most of the zombies moved at a jogging pace, but there were also some who sprinted to pick off any victims who fell behind. For instance, one candy citizen tried to save his best friend by pulling the monster away that had him pinned. The problem, was that as soon as he freed his friend they were quickly tackled to the ground and devoured moments later. Screams and shouts of protest were heard briefly from the victims, and then silence.

Bubblegum's eyes watered slightly as she fought hard to contain her emotions. To her, all of her citizens were like her children. Every time she lost one to the goo monsters, her heart was stricken with grief. Fortunately, she maintained her concentration as she spotted the storage room her group was searching.

They quickly slammed the blast doors shut as the zombies reached out and snarled in vain.

"Hurry, find something heavy to block them," PB said as she locked the doors.

Finn and Flame Queen acted quickly first by using their flame powers to weld the doors shut. The rest of the group gathered several bags of sand and provided a large table. Lastly, they added blocks of concrete for good measure. Everyone kept quiet and rested their weight on the barricade until the banging subsided.

The group breathed a sigh of relief and slowly parted to recover their strength. At this point, their adrenaline subsided and everyone scattered in the large room to reflect on their own thoughts.

* * *

Marceline Abadeer was just a seven year-old girl when she first the goo monsters. Back then, the Mushroom War recently ended. Most of the buildings from the main cities were structurally intact, while the smaller nearby towns were reduced to ash and debris. As far as she knew, the young girl was unable to use her vampire powers to defend herself. Fortunately, she traveled with a lone scientist named Simon Petrikov who served as her guardian and father-figure.

They watched over each other in the apocalypse and Simon would occasionally wear the ice crown to utilize its powers whenever they faced a life-threatening situation. At the time, the crown was cursed and Simon's personality deteriorated every time he used it. Marceline was devastated at this prospect and one day made her friend promise to never use it. He consented, but in the end he was forced to break his promise when the goo monsters cornered them into desperation.

Simon also looked back on his past when he recalled his first encounter with the goo monsters. His friend Marcy was afflicted with the common cold and he spent a few days searching for a can of soup to remedy her illness. There were some pleasant moments such as making jokes and singing silly songs. However, the girl's health worsened each day as she coughed more frequently. Not wasting anymore time, the two continued their journey to search for supplies.

Sometime later, the two travelers walked into an unnamed city and stumbled upon a soup cafe. They discovered all the essential supplies were taken already and met their first goo monster at a nearby souvenir stand. After they fled, Simon carried Marcy and searched a food truck on top of a nearby bridge. More goo monsters approached their position and chased them throughout the abandoned city. In what he thought were his last moments, he moved Marcy to safety and used the crown's ice powers and became the infamous Ice King.

* * *

Back in the present, Simon lifted his head from his thoughts. "I need to talk to Bubblegum when I get the chance," he thought to himself. "But first, I need to check on Marceline." He looked at his wife, Betty to his right who gave him a look of encouragement.

"Go, I'll be fine," Betty reassured.

He nodded and smiled briefly as he got up to speak with his vampire friend. She was stricken with grief as she held her ax bass close to her chest.

"Hey, Marceline," Simon said.

The vampire's features brightened a little when she saw her old friend speak to her. She immediately got up and hugged him in comfort.

"I-I'm so embarrassed that everyone's seeing me like this," Marcy sobbed.

"There, there. Everyone cries sometime even me," Simon said with a light chuckle.

She nodded meekly, "I know people go crazy at concerts all the time, but this is something else. When I saw those monsters again back at the stage, I just froze."

"Those things out there have only brought bad memories. However, there is one significant difference."

Marceline broke the hug and asked curiously, "What do you mean?"

"All of us have powers, Marceline. We can fight back and retake this city."

She face-palmed in realization, "Oh, right. I completely forgot that for a second! If that's the case, then why are we here?"

"We need to come up with a plan of course. We'll never stop this outbreak if we just scramble all over the place."

"Gotcha, I think Bonnie might be able to help."

The two walked over to the candy monarch who was sitting down with her left hand placed on her forehead. She was still trying to figure out how her kingdom defenses have failed at the last second. It also didn't help the fact she kept remembering her citizens being consumed before her.

"Bonnie," Marceline said.

PB gasped as she broke from her thoughts, "Oh, hi guys. What can I do for you?"

"We need your help. Simon just reminded me we can all fight back with our powers," said the vampire.

"However, we were wondering if you have any ideas to stop this outbreak altogether," Simon added.

Bubblegum thought for a moment and replied, "I think the serum from the last zombie case should do the trick. The problem is, it's in my personal lab at the palace."

Marceline shrugged, "Ok, I mean I could just fly you there."

"That's not what I'm worried about. It's the fact we'll attract a lot of attention once we get there." She leaned forward and whispered, "But, I'm mostly concerned about how this all started. Those goo monsters had a minimal chance at finding this place. And what gets me the most is the fact that my Gumball guardians went down right when this all started. In short, I have a feeling this was deliberate."

Marcy and Simon were both speechless at the possibility.

"That doesn't make any sense, as far as I know, you don't have any tense relations with any of the other kingdoms," Simon stated.

PB replied, "No, just some petty disagreements and none of them seemed dire enough to lead to a motive. We may not know who or what is responsible, but we'll soon find out."

Meanwhile, Finn and Flame Queen were sitting together alone from the rest of the group. Finn was frowning as he stared off into the distance. His wife was next to him on his left as she leaned on his chest. Then, she looked up at him and noticed his expression.

"You've seen them before haven't you," she asked hesitantly.

His blinked a couple times as he gained his bearings, "Huh?"

"Finn, I recognize that look on your face. Can you please talk to me," she pleaded.

He looked into her eyes as they expressed concern. He was uncomfortable from what he needed to tell her, but was more unsettled to see her worry about him. Taking a deep breath, he reluctantly told her.

"I don't want to lie to you, Flame and I don't want to keep something from you either. Before I tell you, will you please promise to hear me out first?"

She held his hands together while keeping eye contact and nodded.

"Here it goes: seven years ago, PB led an expedition at the Desert of Wonders. There were four of us, including her and myself. The other two who were with us were Jake and this other guy James. Anyway, our mission was to collect samples from the region so PB can colonize and expand her kingdom."

Finn frowned for a moment and continued, "But something went wrong, what we uncovered turned out to be the resting place for all those monsters we just saw out there. We tried several methods to escape and call for help, but we were set back every time. When it seemed like it was hopeless, I offered to sacrifice myself as a last resort by acting as a distraction while everyone else would get away."

He watched the elemental's features change into an upset expression as her eyes pooled with tears.

Finn concluded, "But, in the end, James was the one who sacrificed himself and the rest was history. I'm sorry for telling you this, but I didn't want you to find out from anyone else. And I know you have some questions."

"Finn... why didn't you tell me before?"

He answered carefully, "There was no reason for me to bring it up at the time. I figured that since it was all in the past, I didn't need to worry about it."

She nodded slightly, "Well, I guess I would have known earlier if I had asked. But then again, I had no idea to begin with. I still have more questions however."

"Go ahead, Flame."

"Why were you so keen on sacrificing yourself?"

He took a breath, "It's what heroes do to ensure the safety of others. But the truth is, deep down I was an emotional wreck... That mission took place recently after our breakup."

FQ was bursting with tears upon realization and asked, "How could you just do something like that? Did you have any idea how many people you would have left behind if things happened your way?"

Finn replied, "I justified my actions at the time thinking it was the only sensible thing to do. Bubblegum had Rattleballs and later on you would have Cinnamon Bun as your champion. It led me to believe I wouldn't be needed as Ooo's protector anymore and that I would be replaced and ultimately forgotten..."

She chastised him at first. She berated him for his past demeanor as her voice cracked and her lips quivered. Finn remained silent throughout her rant, never daring to argue and aggravate her more. But after a while she recomposed herself. "Finn, thank you for telling me this. Just promise me you'll be careful out there, ok? I don't want to lose you and be alone again," she hugged him tight.

"I promise, Flame. We'll get through this like any other obstacle." He gently wiped her cheeks and leaned in for a comforting kiss.

* * *

Meanwhile, back at the Fire Kingdom palace, Cinnamon Bun was finishing washing his face. He and a few of his guards were waiting for the tv broadcast to be restored, but nothing changed.

"This is taking longer than I thought," he thought to himself.

One guard approached him to the side and asked, "It's still not working?"

"Yeah, it's been an hour already. I think I'm just about ready to give up and tune in for tonight."

"(yawn) Alright, I might as well too."

Suddenly, another guard approached at a brisk pace, "Sir, Jake 2 just returned here without our leaders!"

The outskirts of the Candy Kingdom were packed with masses of citizens. Hundreds of thousands of families traveled with suitcases and luggage bags to contain their belongings. Most of their inventory was usually packed with essentials such as food and clothing. As they made their exodus, the local guards and construction crews gathered together to seal the breaches made at the outer walls.

Princess Bubblegum's assistant was supervising the development until his phone rang.

"Peppermint Butler, what's going on out there," Cinnamon Bun asked through the phone.

"The Candy Kingdom's been overrun with zombies!"

"Are you kidding me?! (sigh) Where are Finn and the others? Are they with you? I can't seem to get ahold of them."

"N-no, they were last seen at the stadium when this all started."

CB turned away from the receiver and silently cursed to himself. He thought for a long moment to process the situation before him. "I'm sending help," he said with finality, "I know Finn and Flame Queen can look after themselves, but I don't want to depend on that notion."

"I understand," Peppermint nodded.

"Contact the other kingdoms and arrange an emergency meeting. We need to suspend all trade and travel activities as soon as possible. There's no telling where else the infection can spread or where it even originated."


	10. Escape from the Stadium

A chilling silence enveloped the once bustling streets of the Candy Kingdom. The former inhabitants shuffled around mindlessly as they searched for their next meal. Some gathered into small groups to feed off from one corpse, while others leaned forward in front of a wall and rested.

The goo monsters were always in pain. Their bodies ached from deterioration and their minds always throbbed with never-ending headaches. The only instances when they could remedy their own afflictions was whenever they consumed a victim. However, the pain would subside temporarily and return minutes later.

Most of the buildings in the residential areas were placed into lockdown. Doors were shut with furniture and windows were locked with iron bars and wooden planks. Some buildings on the other hand were left wide open. The occupants who resided in those said places were quickly snatched from the zombies before they could even set up defenses. As a result, streaks and splatters of blood graffitied the interior walls from the fallen bystanders.

At downtown, a faint echo of sirens was heard several blocks away. As time passed, the wailing became louder as a convoy of four cruisers pulled over to one of the barricades. Eight patrolmen emerged from the vehicles with their weapons drawn. Surprisingly, no zombies were present. The streets and nearby intersections were seemingly void from their absence and it baffled the officers.

The patrol group examined the other set of police vehicles that were parked perpendicular in the street.

"The distress call was made from this location," one of them said.

"Do you think they made it out?"

The patrolmen looked around their surroundings and discovered not a single body was left behind.

"I'd like to think so. There are no bodies or weapons lying around. Our guys must have fled to safety shortly after they called. They can't be too far from here."

"Alright, I better inform Root Beer Guy about this." One officer walked inside his cruiser to access the radio.

After he was finished with his report, he waited a few moments to receive his next set of orders.

"Do what you can to search for the missing unit," RBG instructed, "As soon as you find them, I want you to get your team out of there."

The guard nodded, "I read you, we'll be back soon, over and out."

As soon as he hung up the transponder, the door suddenly jerked open from his left. He was startled from the sudden action and looked out of reflex. To his surprise, a zombified patrolman dragged him by the shoulders and began gnawing at him.

The other officers in the group immediately faced the same direction when they heard their squad member howling in agony. They quickly raised their automatic crossbows to shoot the zombie that pinned their comrade down. Before they would get the chance however, ten goo monsters from both sides of the street emerged from the shadows and overwhelmed them almost instantly.

With another team defeated, the goo monsters gained more reinforcements at their disposal. As they feasted altogether at the street, Root Beer Guy was calling urgently from one of the transponders. He persisted for a few minutes, calling some of the team members directly by their names but was met with silence.

After the noise subsided, the zombies became less irritated and continued to eat their fallen foes. However, one of them in particular began to act more hostile as he viciously tore and consumed flesh at a rapid rate. This sudden notion made the others in the group pause as they watched their friend with confusion.

The former being began to shake uncontrollably as his body was experiencing a sudden transformation. Soon, his body mass grew extensively and dwarfed the others in comparison. He let out a monstrous roar as the transformation ended, then leapt near one of the rooftops towards a set destination.

"Your vengeance awaits," Maja's voice resonated in his mind.

* * *

Back at the maintenance tunnels, Finn and the survival group left the storage room through the ventilation shaft. They moved slowly and deliberately being sure not to attract any zombies that were nearby. As they crawled through the network, Finn and the others overheard the undead horde groaning collectively in pain.

"Geez, it sounds like there's hundreds of them out there," Finn thought to himself.

He continued to lead the way as his friends did their best not to make any sudden movements. As they crawled, their arms would twitch and shake as they heard the zombies randomly screech into the air. Finn's heart raced and sweat glistened his palms and face. Everyone else behind him felt relatively the same, especially since there was clearly no room to fight or flee for that matter.

Finally, after what seemed like ten minutes, Finn stopped over at a hatch that would drop them directly towards the floor. He motioned his friends to hold their position as he carefully undid the latches. Once the hatch was pried loose, he moved it aside and slowly peeked his head through the opening. To his relief, the room was apparently empty and he climbed outside the vent moments later along with the survivors.

Everyone darted their eyes left and right as they observed the room they were in. Despite the silence, Finn and his friends thoroughly inspected the area until they were sure it was officially safe.

Princess Bubblegum walked over to the desk with the camera feed and began typing on a nearby keyboard. As she typed, the others gathered next to her and anxiously waited for a response.

"What do you have, PB?" Finn whispered.

She whispered back as she continued to type, "Hold on, just give me a second... Ok, I think I found our way out."

The candy monarch typed a few more keystrokes before continuing, "Most of the goo monsters are gathered at the concession stands and main exits. There's no way we'll leave through there. However, the loading garage at the back seems to be the least crowded. The plan is simple: we take out anyone or anything standing in our way quietly and get into one of the trucks stationed there."

"What about the keys," Finn asked.

PB replied, "There's no time. I'll hot-wire the vehicle within a few moments and we'll be out of here before you know it."

Finn nodded, "Alright, the sooner we get out, the better. Hopefully our phones should work once we leave this place."

Just as the group began to mobilize, Bubblegum stopped them momentarily, "Wait!"

Finn asked, "What is it?"

Everyone looked at her questioningly as she walked over to a nearby cabinet. As she approached it, she began to input an override code to unlock it. "Use these crossbows first to take out the opposition. We can't afford to attract unwanted attention if we are to make a clean getaway."

"Oh, thanks PB," Finn said as he grabbed one for himself. The others did the same as they looked at their weapons with skepticism.

"I never would have thought I'd be using this," Marceline chuckled.

"Me neither," FP concurred.

"It's only temporary," Bubblegum reassured the group. "I have no doubt your powers are far superior compared to this kind of firepower."

"Understood, PB," Finn said as he looked over to the others. "You guys know how to use these right?"

FP scoffed, "Of course, Finn. Don't be ridiculous!"

He lifted one hand in defense as he gave a cheeky smile, "Ok, I'm just asking."

The group made final checks with their weapons and gathered all the arrows they could carry. Once done, they finally left the room and proceeded to make their escape. Everyone moved briskly at a crouching stance as they traveled down one of the halls. So far, no zombies were spotted in their field of view. All they ever ran into for the moment were several plastic bins and small tray carts.

As they turned left to enter the next hallway, the group stopped at the door to discover a few maintenance workers were blocking their path. "I count at least three of them," Finn whispered. He pulled away and looked among the group, "Ok, here's the plan: Marcy, Bubblegum, and myself will take out those guys and move forward. Flame, Simon, and Betty, you three stay here and cover the rear. I'll signal you to fall in once were good."

FQ and the others nodded, "Got it."

Marceline used her powers to turn invisible to get into position, while Finn and PB snuck behind a few supply crates. As they settled in cover, Finn adjusted his crossbow sights and targeted the farthest zombie on the left. Bubblegum readied hers on the center, while Marcy did the same for the right. The zombies themselves did not notice their approach and continued to stand idly.

After a few moments, Finn fired the first shot and killed the enemy instantly with a headshot. PB and Marcy followed suit seconds later as they synchronized their takedowns. As a result, the zombies dropped on the floor lifeless once more without uttering screams. Finn smiled to himself in satisfaction then motioned the other three to regroup.

"So far so good," Finn whispered. "The loading bay is near. Stay close." As they ventured into a different corridor they encountered a larger group of approximately 30 zombies obstructing their path.

"Great," FQ huffed. "There's no way we'll be able to sneak past them." She withdrew her weapon and began to power her fists.

Noticing this, Finn eased her to stand down, "Wait, we can still make this work." He surveyed the area for a few moments until he faced the group, "There's a vending machine we went past earlier that could be very useful for our needs."

"Finn, I don't think getting a refreshing drink is going to help with the situation," Simon said as the others nodded.

The hero face-palmed himself, "That's not what I meant! What I mean is that we'll use the machine as bait to draw them away from our path."

"Oh... I see. So, how are we going to pull this off?"

"Only one of us needs to create the distraction while the rest hides behind this closet," Finn ushered.

Marceline spoke up, "I'll do it. I can just turn invisible and fly on the way back to meet you guys."

Simon faced her with concern, "You're going to be alright with this?"

She nodded with a determined expression, "I'll be fine. I'm not the helpless, little girl like I used to be all those years ago."

"Be careful, Marcy," PB said.

"I will Bonnie. Just wait here until I let you know the coast is clear," she instructed.

While everyone else walked inside the small room, Marcy proceeded with the plan and approached the vending machine. She noticed it was slightly opened already and grabbed one red can inside for herself. Apparently the local vendor was in the middle of restocking the drinks before the zombie outbreak. After Marceline finished her soda with a contented sigh, she looked closer inside the machine and pulled the pin that held the drinks in place. The noise was loud and audible as dozens of cans plopped onto the ground fizzing. Then, she quickly flew close to the ceiling while staying invisible.

"That's right. Free drinks for everyone," Marceline thought to herself as she watched the goo monsters move at a light jogging pace.

With the doors to the loading bay no longer obstructed, the vampire returned to her group's hiding place and whispered, "We're good."

"Good job, I guess this will be easier than I thought," Finn said.

She chuckled, "Yeah, and then the next thing you know we'll be distracting zombies with TV."

"Heh, that'll be the day," Flame Queen commented.

Not wasting any time, Finn lead the way as he cautiously opened the doors towards their destination. Unlike the public garage they ran into earlier, this one had only a small group of zombies in which Finn and his friends took down with ease. With the area being clear, the young hero motioned his friends to seal the door from where they entered with pallets of crates then gathered near one of the getaway vehicles.

"Ok, better get this started," Bubblegum said as she placed her weapon down and walked towards the driver's side.

"Wait," Marcy stopped her. "Don't you watch the movies? We need to check the back first in case there's any of them lurking by."

PB was flustered, "Guess I got ahead of myself for a second there. Thanks Marcy."

"Just looking out for ya," she said nodding.

"And what about underneath," Finn questioned before anyone did anything.

FQ sighed to herself, "Here, I'll just save ourselves the trouble." She spun around using her heat sense abilities. "It's clean, let's go."

"Thanks Flame," Finn said as he and the others surrounded the vehicle.

"I'm hot-wiring the truck. This should take a few moments," PB said.

Suddenly, the doors the group blocked off earlier were banging audibly. After a few initial strikes, the doors finally gave out and bursted high in the air along with the barricade. Bubblegum stopped with her work to look at the commotion and showed a terrified expression, "J-James?!"

"PRINCESS," the monstrous beast bellowed. Unlike his former appearance, the zombified pastry took on a muscular, humanoid appearance. His fingers were sharpened and elongated which made his hands resemble a pair of claws. The only thing that stayed relatively the same were his facial features.

"Positions people. Stay calm and protect PB," Finn ordered. He and the others immediately holstered their crossbows and charged their powers. Once done, Finn, Flame Queen, and Marceline used pyro-kinesis while Simon and Betty used cryo-kinesis.

James roared in pain as his body was struck rapidly with fire and ice beams across the upper torso and back. Despite withstanding the elemental-based attacks, James did not freeze nor catch on fire. The physical force emitted from the blasts simply slowed down his movements. After a few moments however, he clenched his teeth and made a mad dash towards Finn. Once he was close, the beast attempted to swipe with his right claw, only to miss.

"Keep your distance," Finn ordered to the group as he recovered from a barrel roll. When James missed his target, he began to sprint towards the next person until he was within striking distance. As he closed in on his target, he raised both of his fists and slammed them onto the ground.

Betty backpedaled a few steps and dove sideways as she dodged the attack. After recovering, she continued to shoot James with a concentrated stream of ice from both of her hands. "He's not going down easily like the others," she exclaimed.

"Flame, help me provide covering fire," Finn shouted. James turned his gaze towards Simon and began to charge again with brute force. Bewildered, Finn called to Marceline, "Marcy, he's got a bead on Simon!"

The vampire immediately ceased fire and turned her gaze to her Simon. Once she spotted him, she quickly flew towards her father-figure and grabbed him to safety.

Noticing that the battle was drawing attention for more zombies, Marceline set Simon down and transformed into her bat form and grabbed one of the parked vehicles. As she lifted the truck with ease, she quickly told her friends to move away and threw it. Everything felt like it happened in slow motion as James realized at the last second he was smushed against the wall from the sudden weight. Unlike the average zombie though, James smiled grotesquely and began to push the truck away from his body.

"I'm sorry, James," Finn solemnly said as he powered a fireball in his right hand. Once it was charged, he pitched it hard and struck the nearby gas panel. The resulting explosion sent several scraps of metal flying in multiple directions. Before they could confirm the kill, Finn and the others noticed a large mob of goo monsters were already rushing towards their location.

"The truck's ready, let's go," Bubblegum shouted. Once everyone got inside, the candy monarch shifted gears and floored the gas pedal. As she headed for the exit, she realized something at the last second, "The garage door's sealed, I need an opening!"

"I got this," Marceline said as she flew out of the vehicle and ahead of the group. She transformed into her bat form again and conjured a large fireball and chucked it with both hands. The blast sent a massive explosion upon impact, creating a wide gap for the group to escape. Marcy then quickly changed back to normal and flew back inside the truck bed.

"Don't stop for anything," Finn shouted.

Bubblegum yelled as she gripped the steering wheel and drove outside of the stadium complex. Once they were on the streets, PB swerved the vehicle left and right occasionally to evade the parked cars that blocked their path. During the whole process, PB also plowed through a large crowd of zombies as she kept her foot down on the accelerator without a second thought.

The zombies trailed after the speeding vehicle only to stop eventually as they realized it was futile. After groaning altogether in disappointment, they went back into a passive state and shuffled aimlessly around the streets to find any other victims.

With the chase finally over, Bubblegum eased her foot on the gas pedal while Finn pulled out his phone to call for help.

"It's about time we got out of there," he thought to himself. He was about to dial a few numbers when suddenly, he dropped his cell and his nose started to bleed.

* * *

Over at the kingdom's outskirts, Peppermint Butler was inside a command post tent with several banana guards. They were studying the map layout of their homeland, being sure the quarantine was completely secure.

"I don't want anymore surprises," Peppermint said. "Make sure none of the refugees are showing any signs of infection."

"What should we find," one of them asked.

"I'm guessing bites, abnormal behavior, or anything that seems off. I know in the past cases the zombifications were usually instant, but I don't want to take any chances."

One guard nodded, "Yes sir!"

As they left, Root Beer Guy walked inside and approached him with a solemn expression, "I lost contact with another team."

Peppermint sighed, "Another?"

"Yeah it's pretty bad. One moment everything's fine and then the next thing it's just radio silence."

He looked down in disappointment, "We're losing more than we're gaining." Then, he lifted his gaze back to the captain, "You've done all you could. I need you and the rest of the men to reinforce the perimeter, at least for now. We'll have to be on the defensive for a while until we're sure what exactly we're dealing with."

"By your command." RBG placed his fist against his heart and dismissed himself.

Peppermint was alone now as he looked back at the map. "(sigh) Hang in there, guys," he said to himself.

His thoughts were interrupted when one guard called him from outside, "Sir, the aerial calvalier unit from the Fire Kingdom is approaching!"

He nodded, "Alright, I'll be out there in a second."


	11. Breathing Room

"Clear a path for the landing zone," one banana guard shouted.

The other guards complied as they ushered nearby civilians to safety. Once the area was adequately clear, one guard used two light batons to signal the cavalry's arrival.

"LZ spotted, decreasing altitude and speed," Ben said.

The crowd watched with awe as 14 knights arrived with a pack of fire wolves. Once they landed, each rider immediately dismounted and assembled into a column formation.

"Are those guys who I think they are," one civilian asked whispering. He noticed they were all wearing matching crimson uniforms with silver trimmings.

"It must be real serious if those guys are involved," another commented as he observed the 'FC' initials on their chest plates.

The outskirts were relatively hushed as everyone stared after the group. Then, Peppermint Butler walked forward and greeted them, "Ah, you must be the Fiery Crusaders Cinnamon Bun sent for. Nice to meet you."

One of them stepped forward and shook hands with him, "That's affirmative, sir. Nice to meet you too. My name is Ben and you can simply call us the "FCs" for short."

Peppermint nodded, "Alright then." He clasped his hands together and motioned the group to follow, "Now that we're through with the introductions, I'll bring you up to speed on what we know so far."

The group entered the command post tent as Peppermint continued, "Just a while ago, one of our traffic cameras spotted a lone truck making a frantic escape from the stadium. It was last seen heading eastbound, away from the heavily populated district."

Ben nodded, "Seems like a start. Any luck in contacting them?"

"I'm afraid not. The initial chaos of this outbreak must have disrupted most of the city's power grid just like the Gumball guardians. I'm sure they might have tried reaching us by now already if they were able to make it that far."

One crusader frowned, "How can we be sure it's them?"

Peppermint replied, "I doubt anyone except Finn's friends would have been able to survive that long. After all, most of them have powers and capabilities to defend themselves."

"Seems reasonable, but I feel like there's another problem."

The mint nodded in understanding, "Yes. It has been rumored that the infection can cross the species barrier just like the ones from the past cases. With that being said, it would be unwise to bring your canine units beyond those walls for the rescue."

The men sighed in disappointment but reluctantly nodded.

Peppermint continued, "I have already arranged an aircraft prior to your arrival. It should be big enough to accommodate everyone once you proceed with the extraction."

Ben replied, "Very well, just give us a moment to collect our things real quick."

The crusaders briskly exited the tent altogether as they returned back to their wolves. Once there, they grabbed a few bags containing medkits and other essentials as well as weapons and ammo.

"That should do it. Too bad we can't bring these guys along," one of them said.

Another shrugged, "Well on the bright side, at least we took them for a test flight on the way here. Besides, considering their capabilities, the risk would be too much for everyone if they got infected. Gob forbid it."

"Alright men! Form up," Ben ordered.

The squad quickly gathered around him.

"Everyone already knows what's at stake here so I'll be brief. We go in, find them, and extract them. Simple as that. Above all else, watch each other's backs. You see anything ugly out there oozing green goo, you burn them! Do you get me?!"

"Sir, yes sir," the group shouted collectively.

Ben gave a satisfactory nod, "Now move it out, double time!"

* * *

Princess Bubblegum had her eyes focused on the road for a few moments until she suddenly noticed her friend's condition, "Mein Glob! Finn? Finn!" Immediately she searched for any buildings they could use for shelter. After a few seconds, she discovered an old furniture store nearby and pulled over.

"What's going on," Simon asked.

Bubblegum stammered, "I-It's Finn.. H-he's passed out into unconsciousness."

The group initially exchanged looks of despair as they saw their best friend helpless before them. Then, they carefully pulled him out and placed him onto one of the discarded mattresses. Flame Queen was withholding tears as Bubblegum pulled out a napkin and wiped Finn's face from the recent nose bleed.

After Finn was cleaned up, FQ stepped forward, kneeled down, and examined her husband. Her hands glowed at a certain temperature as she hovered them around Finn's torso. Once she found a particular region around his stomach, she carefully transferred some of her energy to Finn. She sighed moments later as she withdrew her hands.

"How is he," Bubblegum asked.

FQ shook her head from the experience as she stood up, "He's going to be ok. I gave some of my energy to restore his overall health. All he needs now is something to drink real quick."

Marceline floated towards FQ, "Here you go. I grabbed an extra cola on the way out in case I got thirsty later, but it seems like he needs it more than I do."

FQ nodded as she received the drink, "Thanks Marcy."

She hummed in affirmation as FQ kneeled down and offered Finn the drink. The elemental lifted his head gently as she poured the soda in small proportions. Moments later, Finn let out a contented sigh and started breathing at a steady rate.

"That should do it," FQ said to herself.

The group listened intently as they awaited an explanation.

FQ continued, "That last fight on our way out from the stadium pushed Finn's body near the limit. The thing is, he's always used his flame powers in a passive state by merely enhancing his overall speed and agility. He may have learned some offensive techniques like shooting beams and projectiles, but he's drained his life force by using them excessively in the process."

Everyone nodded in understanding.

"He'll need some rest for a while before we can get on the road again."

Bubblegum sighed in agreement, "We can set up shop here, I guess. There's not that many buildings around here so we shouldn't be expecting too much trouble like before."

Marceline concurred, "She's right. This place looks like a ghost town compared to where we were earlier that I doubt there were even people hanging around here to begin with. No offense."

"None taken. That should give us some breathing room in that case." The candy monarch shifted her gaze to the store, "We should double check for stragglers inside just in case."

"On it," Marceline replied as she started floating towards the entrance. Simon and Betty were following her as well until they all stopped and faced Bubblegum.

"You go on ahead and stay here in the meantime, Flame Queen. Watch over Finn and be on the lookout for anything suspicious," PB suggested.

FQ nodded meekly as she kneeled back down and focused her gaze on her husband. She held onto one of his hands firmly with both of hers while everyone watched with sympathy. Then, the others regained their bearings on their current task and quickly inspected the building.

"Ok, we're good," Marcy called out. "Let's get him inside where he can get more comfortable."

After everyone carried him inside, Betty was the next to speak, "It shouldn't be a big surprise that this place was clear already. I mean, how often does a person stop by for furniture?"

Marceline agreed, "Not much. I'd say at least maybe once or twice in a long while. These kind of things are meant to last for a few years if treated right."

PB shrugged, "Perhaps. Anyway, I'll head over to the rooftop and see if I can contact for help."

"I'll go with you," Marceline said. "Who knows what'll happen if we just split up ourselves."

PB huffed a little, "I'm sure I can handle myself just fine. But thanks."

The vampire grinned, "No problem."

As the two reached the roof, Bubblegum pulled out her phone and dialed Peppermint Butler. She soon became frustrated however when she discovered her cell had no service.

"(sigh) I can't reach anyone out there. How about you Marcy?"

The vampire tried with her own cell but was met with the same result, "Nope, sorry."

PB looked down, "I was hoping we'd get some help to reach the palace. But I guess it's up to us now."

"Maybe I could just fly you there," Marcy asked slowly.

She shook her head, "As convenient as that sounds, I'm afraid that would not be a good idea. We are fighting against an enemy in which their numbers are uncertain. I'll need Finn and the others to protect me out there while I synthesize a serum for this outbreak."

Marcy shrugged, "(sigh) Oh well. In that case, do you know if there are any secret passageways to the palace? I doubt we'll be able reach to the front gate so easily with all those monsters crowding the streets."

"Luckily I do. Let's head back down first so we can all plan our next move."

* * *

Back at the stadium, a lone figure was wandering around the concession stands. His footsteps were heavy as he ominously approached the center stage. His main clothing was a dark green trench coat that included a hood to mask his features. The only thing that could be seen underneath were a pair of glowing red eyes that had a hatred of all things living.

The zombies ignored the towering figure as he made his way to his destination. Once there, he kneeled down and inspected the ground momentarily. Then, he proceeded to head back stage into the maintenance tunnels, shoving a few zombies occasionally that were in his way.

He investigated that area for a long while until he found himself in the loading bay. From there, several bodies of the undead were lying down defeated. He noticed some of them were killed from arrows to the head while others were reduced to ash and ice bits. His last observation besides the overall mess was the smoldering wreckage from one of the trucks. As he moved closer, he realized there were no remains. Whatever it was turned out to survive and ran loose into the city sometime ago.

This discovery did not concern the figure however. As soon as he finished looking around, he walked outside the garage from the where the forced exit was and examined the tire streaks nearby. Then, he nodded and started moving again with his eyes narrowed.


	12. A Bad Dream

Finn was confused as he took in his surroundings. One moment he was with his friends about to call for help, and then the next one he found himself alone in darkness. He vaguely remembered his wife tending to his previous condition but he wasn't absolutely sure if he was just imagining it.

As he wandered aimlessly, he discovered the area around him was lit up and a few buildings rose from the ground.

"They look familiar," he thought to himself.

More buildings continued to rise in succession until Finn realized he was standing on one of the main streets of the Candy Kingdom. One distinct difference however was that the place was void of any undead presence. What surprised him even more was the fact that the whole area showed no signs of disaster.

"This can't be right," he said to himself. "Where's everyone else?"

His thoughts were interrupted when he heard music playing from afar. As the sound grew louder, he noticed a large column of banana guards were marching towards his location. Each of them had stoic expressions as they walked forward in sync.

Finn frowned in confusion as he slowly realized the song was playing a depressing tune. Then, he decided to jog towards the men into the foggy distance. Once he was close enough, he waved his arms, "Hey, what's going on over here? What's happening?"

The marching company continued their course, apparently ignoring the human standing in their way. Frustrated, Finn tried to stop them by pushing his palms forward. Instead of coming in contact with the group however, the human surprisingly found himself phasing through the group like a ghost.

"Huh?" Finn did a double take and examined his hands. He could see the general shape and outlines, but he could also see right through them. "None of this can't be real, so I must dreaming," he concluded.

The young man moved aside to the curb and discovered there was a large crowd suddenly present. He thought for moment that he was attending some sort of parade until he noticed many of them were sniffling tears with tissues in hand. From there, he came to the realization that the whole setup was a funeral procession.

Finn patiently waited a few minutes until he noticed a convoy of trucks pass by with numerous caskets. Then, he decided to follow them as they drove towards the city limits. The procession involved a long trip as Finn discovered they traveled to the Grasslands, past his treehouse, the Ice Kingdom, and finally the Fire Kingdom. Once the trucks reached the palace, Finn discovered the mourners were assembled at the same resting site that commemorated the 80 fire soldiers who died protecting their capital from the second coup.

"Why am I seeing this," Finn asked. "I don't recall any of this happening."

His thoughts were interrupted when he suddenly spotted his fiery wife along with his friends standing beside her on the center stage.

Finn shouted, "Flame, guys, over here!" He waved his arms as he frantically ran towards them.

None of them reacted as he called to them in vain. Undeterred, Finn tried to reach for Flame Queen's shoulder only to discover his hand phased through again.

"Darn it, I can't get their attention," Finn thought in frustration. He composed himself and cupped his hand to his wife's right ear and whispered imploringly, "Please, Flame. Tell me what's going on. Say something, anything please!"

"I can't believe he's gone," she said solemnly in a dry voice.

Finn's brow furrowed, "Whose gone?"

"Isn't it obvious," said an unfamiliar voice. Finn immediately turned to the source and discovered it belonged to someone he had a particular distaste for over the years.

"Cosmic Owl," Finn said with a hardened expression. "What are YOU doing here?"

The deity ignored his question and lifted a wing to show Finn the main casket. The man grunted as he watched his wife approach it with tears pooling in her eyes. Then, she placed her right hand on the surface top and left it there. After a while, she lifted her hand and left a platinum ring as she returned to her group. It took Finn a split second to conclude who was resting underneath.

"Is this a joke," the human asked vehemently.

CO materialized a newspaper in midair and guided it towards him until he was close enough to snatch it. Finn read the highlights aloud, "Hero slain? Killed in the line of duty from third candy apocalypse? Prubs rumored to be responsible?! What the junk?!"

"There is more," CO said in a grave voice. After he said that, he spread his wings from both sides until the overall setting changed into a different location.

"The Grasslands. What are we doing here again," Finn asked puzzled. The sky was particularly gloomy and the ground beneath them shook periodically from distant explosions. He turned his gaze towards one of the hillsides where a crowd of civilians were eagerly gathering towards the source. Then, he proceeded to join them and see the conflict that resonated deep within the horizon.

As he reached near the top of the hill, some of the bystanders ahead of him immediately pivoted and bolted in the opposite direction. This made Finn even more anxious as he wondered what was lurking on the other side. When he finally made it to the top, he noticed there was a massive cloud of black smoke obstructing his overall view of the landscape. Next to him were several artillery emplacements firing nonstop into the unknown.

The dark sky was illuminated constantly as the barrage continued. As Finn took in his surroundings, he also noticed the Candy Kingdom infantry were combating mutants that seemingly dropped through a large portal from the sky. Men were shouting as they gradually drove the mutant army back into the smoke with swords and spears. Even some of the civilians joined the fight voluntarily as they picked up nearby weapons from their fallen protectors.

Finn moved closer towards one of the artillery crews and leaned forward to hear what the radioman was saying.

"Command, this is unit Charley. Requesting air support over!"

"Copy that. Heli support is inbound. ETA thirty seconds. Standby."

"Affirmative, sir!"

Finn watched in awe as he noticed a small pack of attack choppers flying past him, shooting a barrage of rockets. As the rockets passed into the smoke, the sky was lit up once again with yellow, orange, and red lights.

The radioman looked through his binoculars to observe the damage afterward, but shook his head in disappointment moments later, "No effect on target. I say again, no effect on target!"

Suddenly, the soldiers who charged earlier were retreating frantically. Some of them were screaming in pain and horror, while others collapsed after sustaining serious wounds.

The radioman gulped at the grim situation and called one last time, "Command, requesting order to retreat, over!"

"That's a negative, soldier! Hold the line and stall the enemy's advance! We need as much time as possible to evacuate the civilians, over."

"U-understood Command. Over and out."

Finn continued to watch with wide eyes as the candy troops were decimated from a massive orange beam of energy. The only thing he was able to distinguish from the distance was a colossal silhouette surrounded in flames. After the last artillery was obliterated, the giant moved forward a couple steps until the Candy Kingdom was in sight and fired a huge wave of energy. The blast instantly engulfed the civilization and left a resulting mushroom cloud in its wake.

"No...," Finn uttered as his pupils dilated. He turned away abruptly and shut his eyes. He couldn't stand the horrific sight he had just witnessed.

"This can happen," the cosmic bird said as he suddenly appeared at his side.

"SHUT UP! This is just a trick! I'm not listening to you!" Finn shouted indignantly as he looked down and covered his own ears in denial.

"Whether or not you choose to listen is up to you. Just know that this can happen," Cosmic Owl said in a matter of fact tone.

"Get out of my head!" Finn demanded. The deity disappeared shortly afterward and the human discovered the world spun around rapidly until his body passed through a small portal of light.

* * *

The young fire king gasped sharply with wide eyes as he recovered from his previous state of unconsciousness. Flame Queen jumped in surprise from her husband's reflex but instinctively held him to ease him back onto the mattress.

"Finn, relax! It's me! Just take a few breaths," FQ said as she tried to meet his gaze. She noticed his chest was heaving from the experience and that his brow was covered in cold sweat.

He gradually composed himself as his eyes darted to observe his surroundings. Once he finished looking at the shelter they were in, his gaze finally met the fiery woman's eyes and hugged her as though his life depended on it.

"(pant) Thank Glob you're ok," Finn said breathlessly.

"I should be the one saying that to you, you dummy!" She chuckled as she embraced him with the same force, tears of joy leaking from her face. "That must have been an intense nightmare if that got you all riled up. Do you want to talk about it?"

"I do, Flame but not right now. I'm still shaken up from the experience. Can I please tell you later?" He asked with pleading eyes.

She smiled warmly as she sat beside him, "Of course, it can always wait. Just know that I'm here for you right now."

Before anything else was said, Simon, Betty, Marceline, and Bubblegum rushed towards them.

"Finn, you're awake!" Bubblegum said first.

"How are ya feeling?" Marcy asked.

"We were worried about you," Betty added.

Finn placed a hand on his forehead and replied, "I'm fine. I just had a really bad dream was all. How long have I been out?"

"Almost half an hour," Bubblegum answered. "You had us worried for a while."

"I'm sorry I made you guys feel that way," Finn said demurely.

"It's alright, we're all just relieved you're ok," FQ said as she held his hands together with hers.

Bubblegum nodded, "I told everyone already about our next course of action, but we'll give you two a few minutes before we get going again."

Finn smiled, "Thanks, PB."

The candy monarch and the rest of the group moved towards a different section of the store until it was just fiery couple again.

"I'm so glad I have you," Finn breathed as he hugged FQ, then cupped her face into a passionate kiss.

"Me too. And I know you'd do the same for me." She ran her fingers through his hair and kissed back with the same intensity if not more.

"Without a doubt," Finn assured. They parted for air and exchanged longful expressions for a brief moment. Then, they closed their eyes again and continued comforting each other with more hugs and kisses.


	13. Arming Up

"Alright, do you feel better now," the fire elemental asked tenderly.

Finn nodded slowly as he regained his breath and left her embrace, "Yeah, I'll be fine. What's this plan PB's come up with?"

She replied, "Bubblegum has informed us that we can gain access to the palace by going through the sewer network. She figured that it'll be more subtle than just powering our way through the front door. Once we're in, she'll create a cure for this outbreak in her lab and call for help. Plain and simple."

Finn noticed his wife averted his gaze briefly and asked, "What's wrong?"

She hunched her shoulders in embarrassment, "My flames will give us away before we could sneak through the city."

He was taken aghast, "Y-you don't mean.. We can't just leave you here!"

"I can cast a flame shield on myself," FQ amended hastily with renewed confidence. "The spell is reversible and can easily break if use my powers. Just think of it like an invisible cloak if that makes sense."

Finn exhaled in relief, "That settles one problem. But did PB make plans for any contingencies?"

His wife hesitantly replied, "Should the worst happen.. She said she will order a **firebombing** strike on her own city as a definitive end to prevent this outbreak from spreading."

Finn was shocked, "That's crazy, she can't be serious!"

FQ assured, "We'll have made our escape long after the fact." She saw him getting ready to leave in haste and held his shoulders, "But she promised that she'll check for survivors first before proceeding."

Finn relaxed a little and chuckled, "Heh, I guess Peebles knows me too well." He then took on a serious expression, "But I'd prefer to save the kingdom than to cut our losses."

FQ nodded in acceptance, "Perfectly understandable. And there's one last thing I'd like to ask you."

"Sure, what'll be?"

She slugged his left arm lightly, "Just promise you won't pour the cure all over your body like you did last time."

Finn winced, "She told you?! That was a long time ago anyway! I had no other choice and besides I was _twelve_ at the time. It's not like I was depressed or anything when it happened."

She stared stoically as she waited for an answer.

He sighed, "Yes, I promise. And I could've said it, minus the hitting!"

FQ softened her features and shrugged, "I figured it's the best way to get my point across. You can be very stubborn at times." She wagged her right index finger repeatedly in front of him.

He muttered dramatically as he rubbed himself, "Hmph, well I'll know who to blame if I lose an arm one of these days."

"Is that a fact?" FQ lifted an eyebrow as her flames slightly intensified.

"Nevermind!"

"(giggles) Come on, let's meet up with the others." Her overall appearance changed to a light blue color as she mentally summoned a flame shield. Then she got up and offered him an hand.

Finn accepted her help as he was pulled on his feet. As they walked beside each other, He leaned towards his wife from the left and kissed her cheek whispering, "Thanks, Phoebe."

"It's what I do," she whispered back blushing.

The couple approached their friends and gained their attention.

"Hey, look who it is," Marceline exclaimed.

Simon, Betty, and Princess Bubblegum diverted their gaze and focused on Finn and FQ.

"So do you have any questions," PB asked.

Finn answered, "I'm up to speed for the most part. But, can I take a look outside before we go?"

PB arched an eyebrow, "Uh, sure... There's not really much to look at, but be my guest."

The group followed him through the ladder as Finn surveyed the field. His eyes spotted a small diner, a mini market, and finally an apartment complex.

"I've got good news for all of you," Finn said with a smile.

"What is it," PB asked.

"We're near one of my safe houses that just so happens to have weapons," he answered proudly.

"Safe houses," Phoebe asked with a puzzled expression. "How many do you have?"

Finn shrugged, "I can't answer right off the top of my head, but I do know I have several in every kingdom."

Marcy chuckled, "You have a tree fort AND a castle already, so why on earth do you have more houses?!"

"I made a lot of cash doing some dungeon crawling before I got back with Flame here," Finn answered with a sheepish smile. "Besides, how else was I supposed to expand my inventory and get rid of a mountain of gold?"

Everyone looked down and shook their heads.

Betty covered her cheek with one hand and said to Finn in a mock whisper, "I'm surprised you didn't buy all the kingdoms as well with that kind of money."

"Ok, 'mister moneybags'," PB added rolling her eyes. "Why don't _you_ show us the way?"

"Yeah," Marcy sneered. "Why don't you give us a tour of the place too while you're at it?"

Finn could feel everyone's gaze focused around him, but he continued to brush it off nonetheless. "It's only five minutes away from here. Should be easy to get to with the truck. Not like it's a penthouse or anything." He muttered at the last part.

"Guess you better drive then," PB said as she tossed the keys in which Finn expertly caught.

The group made a quick survey with their surroundings as they left the store. Once they deemed the area clear, everyone boarded the truck with urgency. The engine sputtered momentarily until Finn persisted with the ignition a third time.

"Heh, I was starting to get nervous for a second," Finn said wiping his brow.

"At least it wasn't in the middle of a chase or something," Phoebe chimed as she sat next to him. Then she covered her mouth in realization, "Oh, I hope I didn't just jinx us!"

He waved dismissively , "Eh, don't worry about it."

The transport weaved slowly through traffic as Finn gently pressed the accelerator. He darted his eyes constantly, being vigilant for any surprise attacks. With the headlights being their only guide, the hero gripped the steering wheel out of anxiety and paranoia, fearing the brightness would lure the walkers.

Fortunately, the group arrived at their destination without delay. Finn parked the vehicle near the curbside and let out a deep sigh.

"You alright," Phoebe asked.

"Yeah.. I'm fine. Let's just get inside while we still have the chance." The vision he recalled was too vivid to ignore completely.

Everyone exited the truck and pointed their crossbows at their surroundings.

"We'll keep a close eye on things," PB whispered to Finn. "Just get the door open for us."

Finn nodded and wasted no time as he approached the entrance doors to the lobby. When he discovered they were locked, he walked around the building until he spotted the fire escape from a metal balcony. "This shouldn't be a problem," he thought. He then lifted his right hand with the grass sword and extended it to grapple onto the edge. Once he reached the platform, He walked over to the hatch and carefully settled the ladder towards the ground.

Finn's group stood rigidly like statues as they waited. Despite the chilly temperatures the night offered, everyone stayed focused with their surroundings. Being in the least populated district of the kingdom worked towards their favor so far, but there was never a guarantee it would stay that way indefinitely.

A few minutes later, their attention was directed to the blonde hero as he signaled them to follow. One by one, everyone climbed up the fire escape towards the window that led to the safe room. Marcy on the other hand flew near the top of the ten-story building to keep an eye out for any undead presence before she finally joined with the others.

"We're clear," the vampire breathed.

"Good work," Finn complimented. "Now we can arm ourselves properly for the zombie apocalypse!" He walked over to one wall with a small button and slapped it. In seconds, the closet room rotated to show a small wardrobe of tactical outfits, followed by a small array of firearms.

"Where did you get all this," PB asked in amazement.

The blonde hero shrugged casually, "I found some of them scattered randomly in the wastelands. But the ones you see over here came from a mystical box during one of my dungeon crawls in the Night-O-Sphere. When I grabbed a certain amount, the box hovered by itself and vanished with a girl laughing in the background. (shudders) I still get the chills when I look back on it."

"Weird," Betty said.

"The Night-O-Sphere is a strange place," Marcy remarked. "I rarely go there often as much and even I get freaked out at times."

"Anyway," Finn said to everyone. "Go ahead and find a weapon that suits you. If you have any questions, I'll be happy to help."

As the group dispersed, Finn motioned for Phoebe and Bubblegum to stay. "There's gonna be a lot of running involved, from here to the palace," he said to both of them. "I have some spare clothes if you two want to change into something more comfortable."

"Heh, this dress can be restricting at times," PB admitted in embarrassment. "And these heels aren't doing me any favors."

Phoebe scoffed, "Well, I can fight in a dress! The only problem is that this one is too bright with and without the flame shield! (sigh) I miss my royal armor..."

The women took turns to change as they used the bathroom. Once they finished, both of them were dressed in combat fatigues with a black, white, and grey camouflage pattern.

"Much better," PB said relieved as she looked down at her combat boots.

"Lookin' sharp, girls," Finn complimented with a thumbs up. He was about to turn away until he remembered something, "And this is for you, Phoebe."

She was given a black baseball cap that matched with the outfit, "Thanks!"

A few more minutes passed as the group familiarized themselves with the weapons they chose. Finn was armed with a carbine, Marceline with a bolt-action sniper rifle, and Bubblegum with a pump-action shotgun. Phoebe, Simon and Betty on the other hand were all equipped with submachine guns of different types.

"It certainly is interesting to see all these weapons in perfect condition, considering the wide time gap between them," Simon remarked as he examined a revolver before tucking it away.

Finn gestured courteously, "Take what you need. And this is nothing compared to what my parents had back in the day. They had lasers, swords, and all these other fancy gadgets! In fact, that's where I got my red demon blood sword." Then he muttered dramatically, "Which is gone forever.. (sniff) I cry every time."

"What kind of jobs did your parents have," Betty asked.

"They were peacekeepers or private investigators for the most part," Finn answered.

"Not to be mean, Finn," PB interrupted. "But wouldn't it make sense to have less weapons before we sneak out?"

He replied, "I figured we could all use the extra arsenal so that we wouldn't be exerting ourselves with our powers and stuff. It's more of a last resort if we run into any company along the way. Now then, are we all ready?" He packed a few more weapons in a duffel bag before zipping it closed.

"Um, Finn?"

"Yes, Flame?"

She lifted a combat knife for everyone to see with a puzzled expression, "Why does this one have a bipod?"

* * *

**AN**: Man, I can't believe it's been a year since I updated this one. I hope to finish this one eventually when I have the chance. But, should I never return for whatever reason, I have added an 'epilogue' to the first story as a backup plan. Sorry about the long delay, I fine-tuned some of the previous chapters if it helps. Anyway thank you all for reading!

**Ooobserver**: Thanks for the feedback! And like the movies, there's always a detour before the gang can go from point A to point B. XD

**TheFlyingPriest**: Thanks, I seem to have a notorious habit of including media references in all my stories and I don't know why lol!

**Guest**: It's not over, yet!

**ivan** **croatia**:I hope to update soon, but I'm currently working on another story for the moment. This chapter's been collecting dust for a while now. XD


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